Dream of the Dragon
by Alexathenle
Summary: DMHG HPOC. Draco is fighting the Dark Lord. But Saint Malfoy? ... I think not. Draco Malfoy wants to become the next Dark Lord and he's going to take Hermione with him. :: Finished, Completed ::
1. Chapter One: Truth or Dare

**Dream of the Dragon**

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter or anything recognised. Anything unrecognised is mine.

**Rating:** PG13; strong language, **violence**, **sexual references**, reference to **rape**, drunkeness. Descriptions of blood and violence are quite vivid.

**Pairings**: Mainly Hermione/Draco, a bit of Harry/OC.

**AN**: I hope you'll enjoy this. The first chapter or two suffer from me trying to make up my mind about characters but not as much as it'll appear. Some of the OOC moments do have an explanation.... I promise... This story starts off quite light but will get darker later on. Draco in this story is very different from the books because he has grown up. This is set in 7th year so he is older and has come into his own. There are sixteen chapters to this story plus an epilogue. So please read on and I hope you enjoy what you read!!!!!

**Chapter One**

Truth or Dare?

"Truth" She closed her eyes trying to avoid the fate that came after her uttered words.

"Have you ever kissed Ron and/or Harry?" the Hufflepuff prefect giggled as she spoke, raising her eyebrows as she glanced at Ron and Harry who were on either side of Hermione. The circle of prefects laughed and drew closer to hear the answer. The boys shifted uncomfortably whilst Hermione looked up at the girl with a did-you-have-to kind of face.

"Both." Hermione let out with a breath she had held since she last spoke. There was a uproar of laughter and sneering.

The prefects were gathered in a circle each sitting with their respective houses. There were four prefects from every house as well as a head boy and head girl, however only the seventh year prefects and the two heads were in the circle, meaning a grand total of ten seventeen year olds.

Harry Potter, the boy who lived, was now not deserving of the title. He had grown to over six foot in height and was no longer of a thin frame, though not to Crabbe and Goyle size and stature he was strong and physically well built. He had, with the last year's events, become a definite sex symbol and had a great fan club. But what had not changed was his embarrassment of the fame and now the new world wide attraction. It was well deserved too. Harry's stylishly un-styled hair was copied by younger boys and it was quite common to see boys wondering through Hogwarts corridors with their hair black and spiked in every direction it possible could be. His body, hair, face and manner all rendered him adequate for the title 'hero' which he had still upheld year after year. His mind and marks did nothing to blemish that.

Ronald Weasley was not to the world-wide recognition standard of Harry. But in Britain he was famous, his daring rescue of the German Minister for Magic's daughter from He Who Must Not Be Named had not only earned him sacks of Galleons but also European fame. Still currently in Germany a flaming red haired person is the height of fashion and called proudly a 'Veaselvy'. His height was also topping six foot but he was coping with it better than Harry, who when he hugged Hermione lifted her off the ground and strangled her without realising. He was Head of Griffindor Quidditch and still a prefect, managing both of them with his school subjects ably.

Hermione Granger, the brainbox of the three, had also had mild acclaim. In photographs she was always the one standing in front of Harry and Ron, her neck the lowest thing that could be seen on her body as the boy's heads nodded about a foot above her. She had not grown since she was in third year, leaving her a grand height of five foot three. Her thin frame recognised her to be physically inferior to Harry and Ron, though not totally helpless. Her hair still made a river of muddy brown down her back and her looks were nothing to the supermodel standard. She was not very curvy but not totally unblessed. With the events of the sixth year and Voldemorte's public display of himself, she had been left with a wide eyed look that was reminiscent of a deer caught in the headlights. The world of books she had lived in had fallen with a blow of the wind and she was left to face reality with only Harry and Ron for her aid.

Hogwarts had lost no time in tightening the defences of the school. Though no attack had been formed against it yet, no one kidded themselves that it was anything but a matter of time. The prefects and new staff had been chosen for this reason. To ally the houses, Dumbledore had chosen Griffindor and Slytherin heads. Seeing as there were no apt females in the Slytherin 7th year, Dumbledore had simply resorted to going down the school. Lithliya Dremae was a Slytherin in the 5th year. A pureblood who had made herself known to the general populous by using Voldemort's name, speaking her mind and not bearing a terrible regard for rules. Sarcastic, she had an intelligence that was rumoured to rival Granger's if only Lithliya only bothered to study for once. She was beautiful, shoulder length pure blonde hair, darker than Malfoy's, with sparkling dark blue eyes, from which the colour shone like a gem. The first Head girl ever to be in 5th year was to all appearances not in the least surprised by her new position and did not seem to be doing a bad job.

The noise quieted and a Ravenclaw prefect took over the inquisition. "When? Why? Together?" She asked giggling at the last suggestion. A snort came from the Slytherin side of the circle.

"No. One question only!" Hermione said quickly trying to cool the colour of her face from a pink down to her normal colour. "Erm, Lithliya!" She pounced on the Head Girl who was leaning back against a chair leg, cocking an eyebrow at her. "I dare you to kiss...... Harry!" Lithliya rolled her eyes in a bored fashion. Next to her Malfoy sat up and looked Hermione up and down.

"You mad woman? Like asking a princess to kiss a frog!" Malfoy spat his words out at Hermione. His voice was outvoted with the curiosity of all the other houses. Even Ron was looking keen. Harry, however, was giving Hermione the evils. But both of the Heads got up walked to the centre of the circle and leant in.

Hermione stopped breathing as their lips met. There was dead silence except the sound of tender kissing. A soft thud then the kissing stopped. Hermione let her breath out. Harry broke apart from the Head girl and looked down at Malfoy who's legs were stretched out in front of him from where he leant back against the other chair leg. Malfoy had kicked the Head Boy. "Cramp." He explained smirking. Lithliya quietly went and sat down, a smirk, like Malfoy's playing on her face.

"Hermione." Lithliya said, stretching out the word, her smirk still obvious from across the room. "Who was the better kisser? Harry or Ron? Or Viktor? Or someone else? Come on, who was the best snog you've ever had?" The females in the room stopped breathing to stare at Hermione open mouthed. Hermione impersonated a fish... she didn't have, have, have to tell the truth did she?

"Isn't there something in the rules about not being able to pass it back to the person you got it from?" Malfoy's lofty voice came across the silenced room. It remained silent, gaping at Hermione awaiting an answer. Even Ron and Harry were awaiting her answer with some form of anticipation.

"I can't believe this." She half said to herself.

"Well you blatantly know exactly who it is so just spit it out!" Cried the irate Pansy.

"Malfoy." Dead silence. Not even a breathe.

The first to gain his voice back, experienced in life changing surprises, was Harry. "What?!?"

"Well it was an accident. We were fighting and it just happened." She explained numbly. Over across the room Lithliya was wiggling an eyebrow suggestively at Draco who scowled at the girl before regaining his ego and balls.

"Hear that Potter? Bested you again." He smirked smugly and Hermione growled at herself for not lying.

"You kissed her?" Pansy's shrill outraged voice passed through the now gentle hubbub of confusion.

"You kissed him?" Ron's voice regaining temporarily its original high pitch. Hermione had only once heard his voice that high since it had broken and that was after Parvati had kicked him in the......

"Yes, okay. It was at the Yule Ball. There was something funny about that night, you said it yourself Harry." Harry, who had no recollection of ever saying that, merely raised an eyebrow. "I was outside, Viktor was with his school for a bit. Bumped into that thing. He called me... something nasty and I tried to slap him but he stopped me and... yeah.. it just happened..." Hermione was bright pink and her gaze was on the carpet. She spun the conversation round quickly as humanly possible.

"Harry, truth or dare." Harry who's ears had turned a little pink, shook his head to clear his thoughts. Not quiet succeeding he answered slowly.

"Dare."

Hermione thought for a second. She needed to get the attention off her and Malfoy. Ugg, even in the same sentence it sounded wrong. "Kiss Ron." The girls screamed. In fact so did the boys.

"Nooo, ahh Hermione, that's foul!" Ron exclaimed looking sick at the mere thought. Harry looked mutually disgusted. Hermione was smiling broadly, but the flush had not left her face.

"I'm not going to watch, that's foul." The male Ravenclaw turned away. So did most of the other boys. Malfoy however stayed where he was, grinning, but not smirking.

"No. There's no way." Harry shook his head in agreement.

"Get on with it." The girls chorused. The two Griffindor friends stood in the centre staring at each other in a new light. Ron's face was bright pink. Realising they were actually going to do it, the remaining male and few of the female watchers turned away. Except Malfoy.

They leaned in... Lips touched. "Ten seconds at least!" The Ravenclaw girl shouted, counting. The boys had their eyes scrunched closed and their movements were mechanical and stiff.

"Ahh that's foul." Malfoy said looking pretty sick. He stood up and walked out, making choking sounds as he did. The kiss had one second left then.......

"Ah, fuck...." Ron said, spitting on the floor. Harry bent over gagging.

"I'd rather face Voldemort than do that again." Harry choked out. Hermione, along with the other girls was on the floor laughing hysterically. Even Lithliya was laughing. The game had ended with a climax that none of them would soon forget.

The prefects broke off into their house groups. Pansy storming off ready to sing to the whole of Slytherin the gay love affair between the two boys, Lithliya winking at Hermione before sliding out the room silently. The Hufflepuffs bounced off, the Ravenclaws waved farewell before walking off down the corridor laughing. The Griffindors were the last to leave, Harry and Ron now unable to look each other in the eye. They were both furious with Hermione for making them go through with it.

"Don't forget we know where you sleep." Ron warned still wiping his mouth as they traipsed out the portrait door into the darkened corridor. The portrait closed with a click behind them, the duelling swordsmen waving a friendly goodbye, before continuing to swordfight one another onto the ground... definitely gay Hermione decided.

"And another thing we ain't forgotten" Harry said in an annoyed quiet voice. It was worn down from choking.

"Haven't, Harry. Another thing we haven't forgotten." Hermione corrected as they reached the Griffindor common room. "Ivorous Spots" she added, as the fat lady waved them in sleepily.

"We haven't forgotten about you and..." He was cut off by the noise from the common room. It appeared that in their absence the lower year prefects hadn't paid attention to the bedtimes imposed... "Everyone!" The whole house stopped, looking at the bedraggled but ever so brave hero. "Bed, now!"

A groan came up and everyone began departing up various staircases. Ginny however, now a fifth year, wormed her way up to them. "What's all this about you two kissing?" She asked Harry and Ron curiously. The whole house froze awaiting Harry and Ron's answer.

Confirming they had kissed by turning bright pink, whilst shouting still for the house to go to bed the boys angrily stormed up to their own dormitory. _Hogwarts_, Harry thought bitterly_, one bloody big rumour mill._

"Harry" Dean stood on the staircase, with Seamus behind. "We have no problem with.... you know... you and Ron. I suppose we should have guessed when you two disappeared off on your own together so much..."

Ron's ears let off steam. "WE ARE NOT BLOODY GAY! WE HAD HERMIONE WITH US FOR-"

"Ron! Language!" Hermione chided him from the bottom of the staircase. Ron let out a cry of anguish before turning and storming up to their room.

"We kissed," Harry explained slowly and calmly. "On a truth or dare. It was the first time and will be the last." Dean and Seamus nodded before inching their way passed Harry on the staircase.

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't know it would have this much impact." Hermione said at the bottom of the stairs. She could not see up them but could hear everything.

"It's alright, 'Mione."

"Thanks for being so understanding." She said plaintively.

"You say that now. But you and Malferret is going to be all around the school by the morning."

"HARRY!!!!"

--

By morning all students in Hogwarts knew of the Gay kiss of the heroes and the exploits of the Slytherin King and the Cleverest Girl in Hogwarts at the Yule Ball. Even the Professors were hiding smiles and Harry and Ron passed them in the halls.

Hermione was almost glad her secret about kissing Malfoy was out. She now had a reason to be just as irritated at Harry and Ron as they were at her. Her mind about this was changed when she passed the Slytherins for the first time. One of the burly second years stuck out a foot to trip her up. She stumbled on it, but when she turned round he was looking the other way. She turned her back on him and continued walking. Some Slytherin 6th years blew air kisses at her.

Harry and Ron seemed to find this just dessert and did nothing to fend them off. By the end of the day Hermione was thoroughly outraged. The boys departed to do Quidditch practice. Hermione had naturally finished all her homework hours in advance so she was left with nothing to do. Ignoring Ginny and half of Griffindors questions about Malfoy and the **kiss**, as it had now been dubbed, she walked out into the hallways.

Her feet led her to the Room of Requirement. I need something to do. Something practical. Hermione said to herself. She opened the door.

A long room stretched before her. Wooden floor, with tall walls leading up to a pointed ceiling. Great acoustics, she thought dryly, but I never was very good with instruments. She looked about for an instrument assuming that that was what the room was prepared for her to do. No, no instrument. A Muggle stereo stood on a table though. It had no wire. She walked over to it and switched the On/Off button. The mini screen flashed 'Welcome' then 'CD' repeatedly before continuing on to '1 0.00'.

A base started. The floor seemed to vibrate to the sound. An intertwining melody came on over the top. Hermione looked about waiting for something else to happen. Nothing did. Hermione walked towards the other end of the hall, hoping that being closer might make something appear.

Her foot skidded along the floor. She stopped. The floor was polished so it was very slippery. A bit like ice skating but without the cold. She slid forwards, squealing slightly as she lost balance. Trying to move in time with the base she skated around, laughing.

"Granger," A proud, aristocratic voice from by the door commented. "Is that entirely appropriate behaviour for a deputy head girl?" Malfoy had come to the room of requirement asking for entertainment. Pansy whining in his ear was enough to send any man insane and his great patience for the girl was waning. What he had not expected was for his entertainment to be of the clean and childish kind let alone in the form of a Griffindor.

"Malfoy," She said in a mock high-class voice, "please come down from the clouds, reality wants to speak with you." Malfoy merely raised an eyebrow. Lithliya was wearing off on him.

Hermione overbalanced with a squeal and landed against the wall with a sickening thud. Malfoy froze for half a second before skating over to her, placing his shoes by hers next to the door. Just as he got over to her, her body moved spinning round and pushing his legs from under him. Her overbalanced and landed on her, causing her great pain.

"Get off you great oaf." She said giggling even with his elbow buried deep in her stomach. He rolled away grunting. She lay on the floor gazing up at the ceiling vacantly. She started giggling.

"What are you thinking of?" He asked sneering. "If you think at all that is." He was annoyed to have been lured into her trap, but teasing her was more appealing than retreating to darling Pansy.

"Cinderella." She giggled again.

"French fairytale." Malfoy dismissed it and felt to his rib where he had sustained an injury a while ago that could not be treated by Madame Pomfrey. He needed it to get better before his first Quidditch match against Ravenclaw in a few weeks. His thoughts returned to the fairytale as his companion laughed again. "Impossible idea. Pauper marrying a prince. Never would happen. Even in France. Blood cannot be changed." He scowled.

"Why? Because your blood dictates your intelligence, your physique?" She asked settling her head on a cushion that the room had just produced.

"No." The cushion vibrated with his voice. "Because your blood decides who your family are. Your blood is who your family is. If your family is noble rich, a royal house, you are hardly going to hand down the crown to one whom is married to one of a poor, slobbery family. For starters they might have a disease in their family."

"But it happened." Her voice said over the room, echoing. The music had changed to a soothing melody not far off the titanic theme. Ugg, that movie was sad. "John of Gaunt, third son of Edward III, married Katherine Roet, whose father was a common serf. From them the Royal houses of Tudor, Stuart, Hanover & Windsor are descended."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. He had not known that. The Royal Family were naturally of little interest to him, their Wizard blood was pure but they were of little magical talents preferring to keep to their own little Muggle followers. They were the ruling Wizards, but their power had faded earlier than it had with the Muggles who still clung to them. "What was the catch?" He asked feeling a little sleepy. Her fault. Using him as a damn pillow.

"Well they got married three years before he died." Malfoy snorted. "No it's not like that. They were lovers for years before that, in between his other wives..." Malfoy snorted again. "She bore him four children. And they were married after being in love all their lives." A sweet story, Draco thought idly, before shifting a bit, wondering vaguely if it was a good idea to fall asleep in here.

Hermione was also feeling sleep coming over her. Her cushion moved. She frowned and raised her head sleepily to look at it. Oh, it was okay, it was just Draco's shoulder. She leant back down and thought idly of Katherine, and her sacrifice of her God, her honour, and her own private life for him. All for a man of pure royal blood...

--

Review if you please! Erm... yeah... click onto the next chapter (when it arrives) to see if; Harry and Ron repeat the **kiss**, Draco or Hermione ever wake up, Lithliya is jealous of Hermione? Or Ron?


	2. Chapter Two: Dark Schemes

My greatest thanks to my friends who never gave up on me. And who tell me off for complaining about Easter Eggs or lack of them.

Anatia: I have and I have emailed you back twice. I like names. I have a thing about them. The longer the better. Though Roman ones always confused me. Four of them..... 

Shadow: I was very proud of that line. I don't normally do arsey lines but that one just came. I will try and have Ron and Harry snogging again sometime. Hehehehe, voluntarily or no, that is the question...

Frog: Thank you darling. You're a great help. 

Chapter Two

Dark Schemes

Harry looked at the phoenix clock on the mantelpiece. It read ten past seven. His eyes dropped to the floor once more as he resumed his pacing. He got halfway through a stride before changing his mind and storming out the portrait door. He did not look back to see the two knights calling after him in affronted voices.

He was leaning sideways as so to see the Gryffindor common room corridor when he felt something barge into him. He swore loudly at the suit of armour he had bumped so gracefully into. A giggle came from the corridor behind him and he looked up eyes shining with hope. 

"Pardon my mirth, Master Potter." Lithliya spoke gracefully in hushed tones. His eyes fell and he looked about annoyed. His hip was aching and would be bruised for the morrow. "Granted I was not the person you were looking for. Would that be Miss Granger?"

Harry looked up startled. "Yes, how did you guess that?" He got an airy laugh in return. 

"Shall we walk to the Great Hall together? Undoubtedly being ten minutes late will costs us food and I am sure the people we seek will be able to find their own food." He did not move towards her. He took her in for the first time. Taller than Hermione but still not very tall, finely curving body for a fifteen year old, with dark broody eyes. Breathtaking might be an overstatement. She was not the type that would be seen on a magazine, but the type that might be seen once and never again, lingering in the memory for decades to come.

He cleared his thoughts. "How did you know I was looking for Hermione? Who were, are, you looking for?" He did not move towards nor away from her. 

She let out a sigh of small breath. "I was looking for Draco. He stormed out after Parkinson got horny. Thought he might have blown his head off at you. But evidently no. Our deputy heads will be off somewhere merrily conspiring our downfall." Some sense of humour, Harry idly thought as they both moved to walk together by mutual consent. 

"I knew it was Granger you were after for," She continued after a minute, "you had the look. All the boys get it these days, after what happened last year. A terrible fear for their little helpless women. Oh, what torture have the dark wizards got in store for them..." She smiled serenely. Harry did not think that an at all smiling matter. They entered the Great Hall. The head girl said no farewell as she disappeared down to where the snakes devoured. 

Harry sighed. He had a headache coming on. Hermione was not in the hall still. Nor was Malfoy.

--

Draco smiled. Peace. He was dreaming of peace. Such an alien thing. 

A small groan came from somewhere near. He opened his eyes slowly and groaned himself. Brightness. "Fuck me." He muttered, his accent reverting to his father's aristocratic one, which he used at home. Swearing always sounded so much more natural in it. 

He felt the warmth leave his shoulder and looked down to see Hermione. His eyes went down her body. Luckily for him (unlucky for her) she was still fully clothed, a sure sign nothing had happened. Luckily for him also she had unbuttoned some of her shirt and he was getting a rather pleasant eyeful... Lovely sight when you wake up. 

Her eyes were clouded with sleep and she looked a little dazed and stiff. _Awww, how cute_. "What?" She asked perplexed in a drowsy, quiet voice. She looked him up and down. "What?" She said again no more awake. Her body collapsed on her and she landed back on Draco, waking him up a bit more. He rolled his eyes. He woke his left arm, the one that was not being used as a bed by the girl, and pushed her off him roughly with it. 

She groaned as he rolled over pulling himself up onto all four to examine his new watch. "Oh fuck." He groaned and pulled himself to his feet. He heard Granger's stomach growl. "Food? You hungry?" He kicked her in the ribs lightly. She opened her eyes, shading them and looked and him dazed. She inclined her head marginally. "Well then you'd better get down to the kitchens then better you. There are no house elves there after midnight."

He walked out striding along the darkened corridor like a shadow, his robes billowing out behind him, his shoes long forgotten. He was no longer sleep ridden and stormed directly down to the kitchens. The house elves rushed about him. Dobby was not among them. "Just a light supper" He ordered settling down on a stool. He was naturally given a feast. Dobby came in just as he was about to eat. 

"Master Malfoy." The house elf said worriedly examining the lad in front of him. "Is it true?" Draco took a bite out of a roll in front of him whilst watching the house elf still. "That..." The other house elves took the hint and scattered. They were left alone in the kitchen. "That Mr Malfoy has... has ordered to have you killed, sir?"

Draco sighed and gulped down a large amount of water. "Don't know Dobby. He certainly doesn't want me about does he now? Ahh, bastard he always was. Violent and a coward. He'll get his justice at my hand. Things are changing Dobby. Pureblood or mudblood, doesn't matter any more. As long as you can win. Dark Lord's even a mudblood. But you don't want to point that out to him."

"You, sir, living somewhere else, sir?" Dobby asked coming slightly closer. 

"I am not the only Slytherin not willing to follow a leader who can be defeated by a one year old boy. I have my supporters."

"You wish to become the next Dark Lord, sir?" Dobby asked, eyes wide.

"Well it wouldn't be a bad idea would it now?" Draco answered and laughed loudly. 

--

The night passed into morning, a dull haze of mist creeping in signalling the dying embers of summer were being replaced by the harsh grip of autumn. The wind was whipping round the old castle, creating sounds of screaming ghosts. Draco awoke from his dreamless slumber slowly. His lids flickered up quickly, scanning his room for danger before relaxing back into early morning daze. His eyes gleamed of the far off light from the rising sun that shone through the far off window from his room out into the wide grounds.

His room was the highest in the Slytherin house, showing his rank amongst them. His deputy head status afforded him a room of his own, decorated with rich forest greens, snakes and cold silver. He coughed, the sound echoing in the room as like everywhere else, the room had no carpets. He smiled. Echoing, that would suit him perfectly. The ideas of the night before, the thoughts he had fallen asleep to along with those that had being lying the in back of his mind since the summer came together. 

Draco Malfoy was indeed the true king of Slytherin. 

He pulled himself to his feet, standing on his bed. The hairs on his arms and legs stood up with the sudden contact to the morning air, the chill of autumn setting in. His skin, ever the deathly pale, basked in the morning light seeming to make him nothing less than an angel. He walked over to the window and shut it to the morning air, then quickly walking to his wardrobe and taking out his black boxers, black trousers and white shirt. He did not bother to fully do up the shirt, merely keeping some bottom buttons done up and sliding it over his head. 

Barefoot he walked into the bathroom, padding lightly on the horrifyingly cold stone. His mirror was large with snakes writhing around it swallowing helpless virgins. He gelled back his hair, but it was now so long that it disobeyed and ran unruly, some strands falling back into his face. His lifeless silver eyes stared back at him through the mirror and he smiled. _All good things to those who wait._

He strode out his bathroom, after quickly brushing his teeth and washing his face, down the staircase into the common room. It was quarter past seven in the morning. People would start heading down to breakfast at seven thirty. Good. He took his chair. Black leather chair, high backed with silver legs in the shape of snakes. It was a chair no one had dared sit in except the king of Slytherin, which Draco had become two years before his time. 

He had first taken the chair in fifth year. The Slytherins in sixth and seventh year at the time had been a disgrace. In fact they still were. Only schemer in the lot of 7th year Slytherin was Zabini and Dumbledore had been correct in choosing the most powerful female. Lithliya Dremae was more powerful than any other 6th or 7th year girl. 

The first to filter down from their rooms were two first year boys, a third year girl and then three second year girls. The higher up the school you were the more you slept in. The first years, who arrived first, looked at Malfoy sitting in the chair looking directly at them and gulped. The third year girl who came next automatically knew what it meant and sat herself at the back waiting patiently. The younger boys took a bit longer to figure out what was going on and had to wait until the three third year girls came down before realising they were to sit and shut up. The majority of the house was down by quarter to eight, all sitting in silence their eyes fixed on Draco. 

Lithliya arrived, slowly gliding down the staircase from the head girls dorm, second highest in Slytherin. Her eyes landed on Draco and the silent house and she smiled. She climbed over the first years who had been booted out of seats to make way for the higher years and sat on the arm of the chair. Crabbe and Goyle, who had arrived five minutes earlier, were stood on either side of the King's chair. Zabini was the last to arrive, kicking some first years, who had not he common sense to realise that the best seats were reserved for the 7th years, out of a sofa before lying down upon it. 

Malfoy took in the silence for a moment before nodding to himself and leaning forwards. "We told you at the beginning of this year things had changed." He spoke at his normal volume though addressing a quarter of Hogwarts student body. "We told you, it's changed." The younger years nodded. "But you haven't seen much of it have you? No. Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, its about time we see about that change, isn't it?" Malfoy saw the gleam in Zabini's eyes as he said that. 

"Slytherin has always been the house to beat. We stand alone against Gryffindor's, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. We always have. So we have to be stronger than them. But we haven't been have we? No we've been weak. Losing. Following orders from other who presume to know more than us." His voice was louder now, and smiles were playing on the Slytherins faces. "Well not anymore." He said and a deep cheer arose from his audience. He waited for them to quiet. 

"Slytherin will stand strong. And we will stand together. All of you know the strength we have in groups, now think what we are together. Fuck Dumbledore, fuck Snape, fuck your parents, we're your family now. And we will fight for us, not them, us. We will fight." He finished it off to a tremendous cheer that echoed even to be heard as a dull noise in the Gryffindor common room. 

With that Malfoy stood up, Lithliya smiling behind him, and swung round heading for the door. The entire body of Slytherin followed him as they strode through the corridors, engulfing any student that crossed their path. When they arrived at the Great Hall, a silence met them. Everyone stopped and watched as the smiling Slytherins swaggered in, Malfoy at their head, 6th years guarding the back. Even the staff watched as Malfoy took the head of the table and whispered one word to the Slytherins. Another cheer echoed off the walls before the Slytherin's tucked into their breakfasts, talking and laughing louder than any of the other houses combined. 

--

Hermione nibbled at her toast, her eyes fixed, like most of the Gryffindors, on the Slytherin table. Ron, who sat opposite her, had left his breakfast, which was a first, to examine the Slytherin's in hope of finding some cause to their mirth. Hermione jumped as a thump came from beside her. She looked up to see Harry, sitting himself down next to her, his books being the thump. Harry's eyes were on the Slytherins.

"It's not right." Ron said from where he was still looking out to the Slytherins. He turned back and saw Harry. "Oh, there you are. Tell you what, the Slytherins have done something. If they were up their arses before they're now up to their stomachs." Hermione raised an eyebrow at this analogy though said nothing. 

"I know." Harry said sighing. "I could hear the cheering from the common room." He examined Hermione carefully. "Where were you last night? You never turned up for dinner." Hermione's eyes widened and she turned back to her now cold toast. 

"I, erm, had to do some work at the library." Hermione said her eyes not leaving the toast. Harry and Ron exchanged worried glances. 

"I thought you said you looked in the library." Ron asked Harry before Harry could shush him. Hermione started and looked at Harry before her gaze dropped to the floor. 

"Was Malfoy giving you hassle?" Harry asked watching every inch of the any of the face he could see for she had turned away and ducked her head so her hair covered most of it. 

"It was nothing. I can ignore Malfoy after all these years." She said recovering as well as she hoped she could. "I was trying to get away, NEWTs are hard." She swallowed and Harry put his arm around her comfortingly before turning back to breakfast and the conversation to Quidditch. 

Hermione leant gratefully on Harry, her mind going over what madness had happened the night before. She had stayed up late, all night in fact, going over what had happened. There must have been some spell, or something funny in the water. Neither of them had acted rationally. Hermione Granger would never trip Draco Malfoy up as a joke. Like the night when they had kissed. Something not quite right. Not quite sane. 

A loud bout of laughter from the Slytherin table disturbed her thoughts and she shook herself vigorously from her wondering mind. Just at that moment owls came soaring in. She felt in her pocket for a couple of coins and was able to pay the owl just as it landed. She scanned the headlines in the Daily Prophet, but nothing interesting was said. More panics about the Dark Lord, more 'defence against He Who Must Not Be Named' and 'What can YOU do to help'.

"Second World War propaganda all over again." Hermione said not realising she had said it out loud. Ron looked at her as if she were mad, but Harry snorted softly into his juice whilst reading the headlines over her shoulder. His arm was still around her. It was great to have a friend like Harry. 

Hermione allowed her mind to pass for a while. She closed her eyes and let her dreams betray her. This was not her best friends arm around her it was her boyfriend's. It was his care and protection than was for her and her alone, and when she looked up at him she could see in his pale blue eyes something that belied everything else about him... holy shit she was thinking of Malfoy. 

She came back to reality with a bump in time to duck as a rather uncoordinated owl crashed into the table, rolling over itself before climbing to its feet and blinking. It shuffled over to Harry before holding out its leg. Harry deftly removed the parchment attached and unravelled the letter whilst the owl began eating his bacon. She didn't want to seem rude by reading over his shoulder, but she wanted to know who would use such an.... interesting owl. 

"It's from Remus." Harry said smiling slightly, but a tinge of pain for Sirius crossed his face as he did. Harry read on for another minute or so whilst Hermione pointedly ignored Ron's rabid head movements, arm movements and kicks all directing her to read over his shoulder and tell him what it was about. 

"He says," Harry said before stopping to watch Ron who was caught in the middle of performing a mime of reading over someone's shoulder.... to an outside observer it would seem he was looking down Lavender's top. After a pause Harry continued, "He says 'hope you're all fine. Glad to hear of no attacks. Enjoy the peace while it lasts.'" Harry concluded his eyes skipping over the majority of the text. 

"And the rest of the letter." Hermione asked raising an eyebrow. Harry examined the eyebrow with a piercing look before glancing over to Malfoy, before replying.

"I'll tell you guys later."

--

Malfoy met his fellow Slytherins in the Slytherin common room as arranged. The whole house had been told not to enter or exit the Slytherin Dungeons during the hour of this meeting. The prefects and powerful 7th and 6th years sat around, lazing on the various couches. Malfoy was standing so his chair was empty. Lithliya was sitting on the sofa Zabini had been on earlier. 

"With this change, with this new war, we're going to have to make some sacrifices." He squashed any hope any of them had of having another load of promises of glory thrown at them during this meeting. This was business. "First one will be no more Potty and Weasel. We are going to have enough problems with one enemy, lets not make it two. Least not yet." Sneers and sniggers came from the various couches. "They and we, for the moment, share an enemy. So apart from the necessary, like Longbottom turning his cauldron into a cow, leave them be."

"Two get some brains in your heads. Pay attention in class, especially Defence Against. You'll probably need that sooner than you'd like to think. Three get some connections. Zabini." A black head arose from behind a couch. "I heard you got links to the black market in Egypt. Send them a card. From us." Zabini smiled and nodded keenly. "Four keep your ears to the ground. Dumbledore's no fool, he knows we Slytherins won't ever be his willing hounds. No, so we have to get our own information. Though I should imagine that will be easier for us than those goody goodies. Five. We make a blood oath. All in Slytherin. Friday night, tomorrow. On the Quidditch Pitch at ten. Pass on the message to all the younger years."

They all rose to leave. "Zabini, stay. Crabbe, Goyle stay. You too." He pointed to a 6th year prefect. In the end left in the room were all the male prefects and Lithliya. She raised an eyebrow at Malfoy who smirked at her before taking his seat. "Right. Two things I have to say to you. Firstly is that we all know the tactics Voldemort used last year." A small shudder passed through the men at the name. "Buck up you fucking pussys. If you can't even say his name we may as well give up now." The boys shifted uncomfortably in the silence. "Keep an eye on your girls. Voldemort will know pretty shortly that we're against him. They're our easiest target."

"Secondly I want a list. A list of all the people you have in your section. Like Zabini has his territory over the fourth years, Crabbe and Goyle are looking after the second." There was a nod of consensus though Zabini gave an almost puzzled look. "You know why I am asking you to look out for them?" Zabini shook his head so did the other various prefects. "We need more of us. In three years time we'll be long gone from here and they'll be seventh years. If they are still about and still strong they'll be a great asset bringing in more and more Slytherins to us. And the girls. Well, we all know why we need the girls." Lithliya was glaring at him. He ignored her.

"I also want you to add to those lists anyone out of Slytherin you want to be yours. Like I have noticed you, Dethcous, have being keeping your eye on a 5th year Ravenclaw." Dethcous, the male 6th year prefect stiffened and keep his eyes beneath Malfoy's gaze. "Ah, no shame in it. She's pretty. Put her on your list along with your year, which you'll have precedence over, you'll be dandy. She'll not be looked at by any other male without your consent, she'll have the entirety of Slytherin looking out for her, and as far as they will be concerned, she's yours for as long as you want."

A chuckle passed round the Slytherins. Zabini was now smiling. "From any house? Griffindor or Slytherin as well?"

"Naturally." Draco purred leaning back into his chair. "I've even got Granger on my list." Small chuckles followed this as the prefects and powerful 6th and 7th years drifted out until Draco was alone with Lithliya. 

"Granger?" 

--

Review darlings! That's all I ask! Tune in next time to find out if; Malfoy's scheme works, Remus really did say anything of important in that letter, Hermione tells Harry or Ron what she was really doing, Hermione meets Draco again?! Tune in and find out!


	3. Chapter Three: Rape and Rubbish

Frog: Your spelling gets worse and worse by the day. Ron and Harry kissing voluntarily you say? Well... we'll have to see. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Shadow: I know you loved Sirius. I'll try not to mention him too much, I know it must be a sensitive issue for you. I think what I meant was the Malfoy got enough sex not to have to worry too much about having extra of it, but still didn't mind getting flashed at. I can promise you he'll get laid soon enough. Malfoy coming out the shower all wet with only boxers on with those grey eyes and that fine body.... sorry what?

Chapter Three

Rape and Rubbish

Harry's eyes blurred with the effort. He sat back and threw the letter down on the common room floor. "What does it say then Harry?" Hermione asked now slightly worried. She had had to wait through the entire day's classes before she had an opportunity to ask in peace. Ron had picked it up for himself and started reading it. 

"Remus. He mentions some murders." Hermione blinked and crawled along the couch closer to Harry, who was sat slumped in a corner. "He said. He said that a family of wizards was wiped out, a dark mark sent up above their house last week. The ministry is saying it was a hoax. The order are saying they refused to join Voldemort." Ron flinched. Hermione sat next to him looking up at Ron who had forgotten he held the letter in his hand. 

"Anything else?" Hermione asked. Harry paused.

"No." He said taking the letter back from Ron who was staring at Harry with suspicion in his eyes. "Better not start a panic should anyone find it." He put the letter to the flame. Hermione was off in her own world again anyway. "Hermione." He said waking her up from her dozing. She blinked and managed a half smile up at him. "Dinner will be soon." He didn't have anything else to say to just collapsed back down on the sofa next to her. He felt the sofa bounce as Ron collapsed next to him. 

"And I thought OWLs were hard." Ron muttered and Harry laughed. Harry sighed at the silence from Hermione not wanting to look at her, but already knowing she'd be back off thinking about whatever it was that was troubling her. And he bet whatever it was it was to do with Malfoy. 

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall's voice came across the common room. All three looked up sharply and rose as one. After many years of troubles they worked together in panic situations like clockwork. McGonagall spotted them and hurried over. "Ahh, Miss Granger. You are required immediately." 

"Why?" Harry and Hermione said at the same time. 

"Uh, it is a delicate matter." McGonagall said blinking and looking at the floor, sadness showing in her eyes. "Come on then." She turned and walked briskly out of the Griffindor common room. Hermione shrugged at Harry and Ron before running to catch up with the professor. 

--

"Yes, Granger." Draco said his eyes glinting in the firelight. Lithliya smiled. 

"You'd make a front cover couple." She commented lightly turning away from him and sitting on the couch opposite. He just smiled, his face half in shadow, as was hers. "Now tell me, Draco, what was all that bullshit about protection?"

"And I thought women liked to have a man look after them." Draco replied tilting his head into the shadows. 

"That's as maybe, but what makes you think that if Voldemort came to Hogswarts he'd attack the girls via rape?" She leant back also casting her face into shadow. 

Draco's face lost the smirk. He leant forwards into the light. "It's not a matter to play games with. Demoralising rape is. Inspires fear. Oh so much fear. Even Muggles use it as a weapon of war. Makes you feel like their playing games with you, having a taster before they come in with their final blow. I don't want my enemy to have that power over me." 

Lithliya aptly noted Draco included everyone in Slytherin as himself. "But can they not rape the men?"

Draco's eyes glinted. "I think that would be harder. And I don't think Old Voldie swings that way."

"Physical strength has nothing to do with wands, Draco." Lithliya answered looking up at him as he rose from his seat. The only sound was the firewood burning.

"But it has everything to do with the mind, Liya." Draco said looking down at her from his grand height. She closed her eyes and realised she'd proved his point by not rising herself, not challenging him. _Bloody games._

She remained silent searching her mind for another one of her protests against the scheme. He spoke before she could find one. "You're also on my list, Dremae. You be careful where and what you do." She looked up sharply glaring at him. She opened her mouth to retort but as she did so the portal door opened and Snape slithered in. 

He smirked at what he saw before him. Draco sneered back before collapsing into his chair facing the fire. Lithliya turned away from Draco impatiently wringing her hands to think of a protest, she had had so many earlier. "Dremae, you are to come with me." Snape said lazily looking at her. She was not what he would have wanted for a head girl. She may have been Slytherin but she was full of too much bravery for him. He was surprised when Malfoy turned round to look at him with a weary gaze then stood as if to come with them. "Only Dremae needs to come, Mr Malfoy." 

Malfoy looked Snape up and down as if judging him. He then sent, what looked like an I-told-you-so sneer, to Lithliya. To Malfoy it was a warning intermixed with an I-told-you-so sneer. Lithliya ignored Malfoy and walked out the common room head held high. 

She was dropped off outside the Prefects common room with the instruction to go straight in. She did and met the sound of sobbing.

In a chair by the fire sat a girl. Lithliya recognised her as being in Lithliya's own year, 5th year and Ravenclaw, though Lithliya had few lessons with her so her name did not come to mind. The girl's blonde/brown hair was rumpled and matted, her face blotched from tears and her eyes red. Her breathing was in gasps to match the sobs. 

The other occupants of the room were the 7th year Hufflepuff prefect Hannah Abbot, the Ravenclaw Padma Patil and Hermione. Hermione looked up when the head girl came in. To Hermione, the cold and calculating Lithliya looked almost upset. "What's happened?" Lithliya asked, her eyes taking in the Ravenclaw student.

"McGonagall said that this girl stumbled into the infirmary an hour after lunch, bleeding. She wouldn't tell anybody what happened. When eventually she had calmed down, she agreed to tell somebody but only someone her own age and female. So they suggested us." Hermione explained nodding to Lithliya who absently nodded back examining the child. 

Lithliya looked to Abbot then nodded in the direction of the girl. Abbot rose hastily and hugged the girl murmuring comforting words in her ear. Lithliya then gestured for Padma to help her lift one of the Griffindor coloured couches so it sat next to the fire. Hermione carried her own one person chair over there and they formed a circle.

"Are you able to tell us what happened now?" Hannah asked quietly. The girl nodded slowly and took a shaky breath. They all leaned in. 

"I was avoiding lunch. My brother, he and his friends were teasing me. I was a little distracted," She paused for a sob, "I was thinking about my potions essay, you see? And so I got lost. It was an accident. I didn't mean to go to anywhere where no one was about. I-" She caught her breath and sniffed hard. "I was walking about trying to find an end to the corridors. But I couldn't. And then there was this thing. I could hear him moving and breathing, I thought I was imagining it, you see. I told myself not to be such a coward."

"And if there was anything to be found 'arry Potter would have found it years ago. But... then it was breathin' faster and faster, so I ran and he followed me. And this thing jumped on my back, and turned me over and it wasn't invisible anymore. It was real. I couldn't see anything of 'im, but his black coat. And he... he... held me down." Realisation came over Hermione in a second and she felt like being sick. 

"He didn't! Not at Hogwarts!" Padma denied forcefully. It only made the poor girl sob harder. "You can't rape at Hogwarts can you, Hermione?" Hermione just looked into the fire, a lump in her throat and tingling sensations like cold water all over her body. 

"May all the gods in high heaven damn that bastard." Lithliya didn't know who she was referring to. The bastard who did it or Malfoy for predicting it. "Did you see anything of him? At all?" She asked, climbing out of the circle so she was protected from their gazes by the shadows the couches formed. 

"He had a dark mark." The girl burst out before falling sobbing into Hannah's arms. Hannah herself had tears in her eyes. "On his forearm." She choked out from Hannah's shoulder. 

Hermione closed her eyes. "Hannah would you like to take..." Hermione stopped realising she didn't know the girl's name. "Tell Madame Pomfrey what happened. You don't mind do you?" The only reply was sobbing. Hermione smiled sympathetically at Hannah before moving her chair out the circle so that Hannah and her charge could get out. 

"Do you mind if I tell Dumbledore. I'm gonna give him hell for not warning us. He must have known about it. Barmy old man." And Padma stormed out before the head girl or deputy head girl could do anything to stop her. They were rather glad she did. Neither wanted to tell Dumbledore what had transpired. 

"Bloody bastards. The lot of them." Lithliya commented thinking of only two bastards. Hermione nodded. "I suppose we should get back." She glanced at the clock. It was ten o'clock. They had missed dinner. "Or do you want to head to the kitchens for food." Hermione's mind was in a turmoil. 

"I don't know. I'm not hungry." Hermione answered vaguely ringing her hands through her already messy hair. 

"Nor am I –"

"But we don't want to be alone." Hermione finished smiling worriedly at the head girl who turned to her and nodded. 

"I do want to get out of here though. Bad. The whole place just feels... bad." Hermione nodded trying to swallow the bile that rose every time she thought of the girl, or the man. Lithliya was the first to clamber out into the corridor. It was so cold they could see their breath. They both glanced at each other and grimaced. They were both only wearing their white shirts and short skirts. However on some occasion it was advantage to be moderately attractive wearing skimpy schoolgirl outfit now was certainly not one of them. For one there was a rapist wondering about the school. For two it was bloody cold. 

"Die!"

The shout came from behind them. Hermione jumped out her skin, whilst Lithliya turned round, one arm protections her solar plexus, the other in front ready to jab. Neither had a wand with them. Hermione's body literally sunk when she realised it was only the prefect portrait door knights charging at one another again.

Lithliya was examining them as if for the first time. She cocked an eyebrow when the both threw away their weapons and dived on each other, hands disappearing. She mouthed the word 'Gay' with a questioning expression and giggled when a nod was returned. 

They mutually decided to leave the knights alone and hurried down the corridor giggling. When they reached the end of it they stopped not knowing which way to turn. "Hermione!" Harry's voice echoed from the corridor. They both jumped and looked up to the head boy who was jogging down the corridor. "Where on earth have you been?" 

Hermione froze. What could she tell him? He had to know. But she did not want to tell him out in the middle of the corridor at night. She was scared already, thinking about it more would just inspire paranoia, she was cold and did not want to go to bed. A sudden instinct of a cat caught in a trap came up on her. She wanted to run.

Hermione glanced over at Lithliya who was glancing hungrily down the empty corridor. When Lithliya turned back to Hermione they shared a look of understanding. Men. No. Bad. Runaway. Midnight madness gripped them, as they both turned tail and ran. 

It was exhilarating to be free. Running was freedom. Running you never had to stop. With running there was no problems, no worries, no insecurities. They both ran silently with bare feet through the corridors, ignoring the sounds of their names being shouted from behind by a rather pissed off head boy. 

"Ha, got you." Harry was grabbed by an unseen force and hurled round, smashing into a wall, his back pressed firmly to the stone wall behind. He bent forward into the pale moonlight that cast blue beams through a grand window above. Two identical close as could be to screams when the screamers had deep voices screams echoed through the corridor. "Potter?" 

"Malfoy?" Harry said at the same time. Malfoy backed away into the centre of the hallway. Harry came down from by the wall, but kept an ample distance away, not wanting anymore rumours about his sexuality. 

"Who were you chasing?" Malfoy asked after shaking off bad thoughts about molesting Potter. He was looking down the corridor which split into two a couple of metres down from where they were standing. 

"Hermione and Lithliya." Harry answered looking also down the corridor. Malfoy looked up sharply.

"What did you do?" He asked coming forwards towards Harry, venom in his voice. 

"I saw them at the corridor." Harry answered glaring into the black shadow of Malfoy's face. "I asked Hermione where she had been. And they just ran." Confusion flickered across Malfoy's face. He didn't think Harry was lying, perhaps not telling the whole truth but not lying. 

"Women" He muttered cursing. "You take that corridor, I'll take this." He dived off down the left hand corridor. Harry had no time to argue.

Harry jogged down the corridor, still slightly breathless from his jogging and then sprinting. He padded as slowly as he could, wondering if the corridor ever ended. He came round a corner to see a girl crouched up against a suit of armour breathing heavily. She looked up as she saw the movement, he saw for the moment a gleam in her eye, before she bolted. 

He sighed and began running as fast as he could after her. She wouldn't keep it up for long, he consoled himself. And he'd be fitter for it. Bloody hell she was fast, he rounded another corner and saw a grand flight of stairs leading upwards. He recognised it vaguely. He jumped up two stairs at a time wondering if the girl, whichever it was, was mad. And if the other one was alone with Malfoy at this moment. 

A cry of terror arose from the head of the stairs. Harry did not know he could go any faster than he was. But it appeared he could. He bounded up to the next flight where he saw the silhouette of a girl flying down the stairs towards him. He registered shock before trying to stop her. He could see nothing to cause her such an alarm. He caught her, noticing vaguely it was Lithliya he had captured, some part of his brain wondering if Hermione would survive another confrontation with Malfoy. 

"Don't stop, don't stop you idiot. Run, run, run." She was beating against him with her entire body and he didn't feel quite stable on the steps.

"What the hell is wrong? There's nothing here." He said in a calm slow voice. This just seemed to infuriate her further. For she had heard him. His voice against her ear, his breath against her cheek. The thing that had raped the Ravenclaw. But he was invisible. And she hadn't realised that she'd run right to him. The Death Eater. 

"Let me go! Please, for Merlin's sake, let me go!" She wrenched herself away, but in her unbalance she tripped and fell headfirst onto the stairs. She rolled a few steps down before she put out a hand to stop herself. She was shaking and when she looked up there was a neat red line across her forehead from the impact. 

Harry was annoyed at her for fighting with him and even more annoyed at himself for letting her go. He stomped down the stairs told her to "Stop being so bloody ridiculous" Picked her up in his arms and started off down the stairs. 

"Agh, Potter let me down, I'm fine."

"What so you can run off again?" He asked her, wondering if Hermione would become head girl as this one was certifiably insane. That was if Hermione escaped unscathed from her run in with Malfoy. If Malfoy caught her that was. 

"No. Yes. I just wanted to be on my own. Agh, I can't explain it to you." Perhaps there was some logic behind this exercise. 

"Try me." Harry said popping her down in the middle of the corridor. She glared up at him, trying to pull down her skirt which had ripped at a most convenient point. 

"Not out here." She said with as much impact as possible. Harry looked about desperately before picking her up and chucking her into an empty classroom. Well chucking was what he wanted to do to her what he really did was pull her up, toss her over his shoulder, walk into an open door, and place her on her feet, standing in front of the door arms crossed. 

Lithliya rolled her eyes at him before kicking the door shut, and scanning the dust on the floor by the door. There were two sets of footprints none else. Evidently this room wasn't used much. "He's not in here." She said to herself, noticing Harry's exasperation at this comment. "I suppose by telling you this, I'm doing Hermione a favour. I know she wouldn't want to tell you herself." _Just like I'm absolutely dreading telling Draco._

"There was a rape done at lunchtime today. The girl involved was a fifth year, my year, Ravenclaw. The rapist was using some sort of spell that made him invisible." She pointedly stared at him. "He became visible to do the deed," She repressed a shudder, "and he had a dark mark on his arm." She looked up at him examining his face. He was looking to the door now, and then back at her, his eyes intense. Lithliya cocked her head sideways and smiled... before realising this was not the time nor the person. Malfoy may well be liberal with other houses for the moment but hatred burns for years. 

"You thought you saw him?" Harry asked then shook his head, "thought you heard him?" He examined her perplexed by the smile that had flashed across her face temporarily. He thought she was going to say 'April Fools' for a moment but the smile vanished a second later. 

"Yes. His voice in my ear."

"What did he say?" She grimaced and turned away. Harry sighed heavily. Malfoy was right about something. "Women..." he muttered under his breath. Somehow she heard it and scowled at him. 

"He maybe a rouge Death Eater, working alone. Or he maybe a spy." Lithliya commented from where she was perched on the edge of the table leaning with her hands on her knees. 

"Interested in the reforms in Slytherin?" Harry suggested coldly. He was looking deep into her eyes and trying to keep his mind off the fact that she was leaning forward too much and that she had a rip in her skirt exposing black underwear... He looked away. She was younger than Ginny! And a Slytherin.

"Things in Slytherin have changed. For the better maybe. They've stopped caring about blood. Muggle born, pure blood doesn't matter anymore. Did you notice there was a half blood sorted into Slytherin for the first time ever this year? Since Voldemort." She corrected herself. Harry hadn't but the news intrigued him. In truth he'd be too concerned with Voldemort to worry about Slytherin... until this morning. "Malfoy's got a new aim. Probably something to do with what happened at Malfoy manor this past summer. I think our Draco from last year died this summer. We've got a new one now. Stronger, more determined, with his own ideas."

Harry looked at her sharply, studying her face, with only the occasional glance downwards. "What happened?" He asked. The head girl merely looked at her feet. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "So Malfoy's reformed. Brilliant." He spat onto the floor. "And his father's sent a minion to spy on him." 

"Malfoy has reformed. Perhaps not for the better." She was barely coherent. Lithliya gazed up at the ceiling. She was tired and her head was throbbing. She was bruised as well. But she didn't want to sleep. She was still too scared. She stifled a yawn. 

Harry noticed her yawn. "I think we'd better be heading back." He glanced at his watch, it read quarter past eleven. She nodded from where she sat and jumped down, not noticing the back of her skirt catching on the table. He, himself, stifled a groan at this and walked towards the door. "Take my arm." He instructed as he reached the door peering out. When he felt no contact he looked back to see her leaning against the table slightly dreamily. _And this is the girl who is the terror of Slytherin?_

He held the door open with one foot whilst he looped his arm around her waist, pulling her arm around his shoulders. She grimaced and protested by pulling her arm back and stalking out the room. He rolled his eyes and followed her out, letting the door slam behind them. Not a sound from the corridors. _At least Mrs Norris would come at that sound?_ But apparently the Death Eater was keeping Mrs Norris well clear.

He followed her in the direction of the dungeons, keeping her only a few steps in front of him, glancing round for the slightest movement. When they reached the suit of armour Harry stopped and nodded to her. She smiled lightly back at him, trying to convey the word 'thanks' with a look. He raised his eyebrows with a smile and she glowered. This just made him smile more. She advanced on him and he stopped smiling. But then she was smiling. _Hmmm a pretty pickle..._ Harry thought... Only one way to solve it. And he kissed her.

On the cheek. Now she was in shock and he was smiling. _A nice way to leave it_, he thought as he idly turned away and swaggered down the dungeon corridor. He heard the door in the stone wall slide close as he reached the end of the corridor....

--

Dum de dum dum!!!! Rebiew! Rebiew! Mwhahahahaa! Otherwise Nearly Headless Nick will be after you with some Vomit flavoured Bertie's Beans!

Join us next time to find out if; Malfoy has killed Hermione, Harry regrets that kiss (no not the one with Ron), someone else gets raped, someone in this chapter gets raped, Lithliya thinks of another argument? 


	4. Chapter Four: Darkened Night's Desire

PractikalMagik: Point taken. Hermione and Draco fucking... well some couple will fuck soon enough. And there is sexual reference in this chapter. Hehehehe....

Shady: No I am wrong. Men can never have enough sex. Voldie/Snape or Dumbledore? Slash? Might kind of take the focus of the story away from Draco and Hermione. Malfoy organising it? Well it would be an idea. But not one I thought of........ well at least not this attack. Thanks shady for introducing Star to this story. 

Frog: You didn't spell anything wrong in there. Sorry, but it was not Harry and Ron. But I promise some slash in future chapters.

Star: Good to hear from you again darling. I'm glad you like this story. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Four

__

Darkened Night's Desires

Hermione collapsed behind a suit of armour. She was breathing heavily, she doubted she'd ever run that fast for that long in her life. She began coughing heavily. Footsteps. She froze, not moving, not breathing. "Dremae? Or is it Granger?" Malfoy's sarcastic tone drifted down the empty hallway. She let out a breath and rolled her eyes. 

"Granger, Malferret."

"No need to talk to me like that. I thought we had something special." He walked into her view. He was wearing moderately tight black trousers and a half-open white shirt. On a more tanned body the outfit might have looked Spanish, but on him it looked like a scene from a vampire movie. Substituting the white blonde hair with black long hair. He was barely out of breath. _Damn men_. 

Hermione looked away and sniffed, leaning her head back against the cold wall. She was shivering from fatigue and the cold but she still managed to speak. "There was something funny about last night. But it wasn't between you and me. I'll bet everyone felt a bit weird." Draco cocked an eyebrow and smirked. 

"Yeah. Sure they did, princess." He was sneering in the Malfoy way. She couldn't bear it, so she pulled herself to her feat, ignoring the violent shaking. 

"I'm going back to my common room." She announced, stalking passed him, ignoring the feeling of fear at being left alone with a rapist about. She would not beg for help. Malfoy would not give it anyway.

"Are you really?" Draco asked, tipping his head sideways. "Well have fun. I'm sure that you'll enjoy it there. With all the Slytherins." He smirked as Hermione stopped and swung round to face him, still violently trembling.

"What?" She asked furiously.

"Well I assumed you mean the Slytherin common room as that way leads to the Dungeons. And that way," He said pointing over his shoulder, "leads to Griffindor." He could see her inner debate about whether he was right or wrong. "If you want proof look at the classroom on your right." She looked. Draco knew it was the Transfiguration classroom and he knew she knew her way to her common from there. She looked back at him before storming off past him, bashing into his shoulder.

"Ow." He soundlessly mouthed before spinning on his heel and grabbing her hand. He had a sudden urge to play. Especially after that incident with Potter. He pulled her back into him and then backed her into a wall. "It seems your stuck between a rock and a hard place." He commented smiling like a normal person would, with no smirking no smugness. 

Her face was outraged. "Let me go!" She ordered and he smiled pressing his body up against hers and looking down at her. "Put me down Malfoy!" She ordered indignant. He hadn't realised her feet were off the ground, but so they were. _All the better_. 

"You can't really mean that? Can you? Darling Hermione." He simpered at her keeping up this 'natural' smile. He could feel her leg trying to get enough power to knee him in the balls, but he just pressed her too the wall harder.

"What have we here? Lovers meeting?" A raucous laugh echoed through the corridor. Draco dropped the girl, gently onto the floor, and turned to face the poltergeist. Peeves stopped spinning and laughing when he saw who it was. Malfoy saw out of the corner of his eye Hermione edging passed him in an attempt to run away. He grabbed her wrist and threw her back into the wall. 

"Unless you wish for a visit from the Bloody Baron, Peeves I suggest you be on your way and bother Finch. I heard he has some Slytherin second year in detention tonight. You'd do the Baron a favour disrupting that detention. Might be benefits in it." Peeves eyes gleamed greedily and he floated off. 

Draco turned back to his cowering girl. He pulled her up by the wrists from where she was crouching on the floor. He noticed the hair standing up on her arms and her quiet shivering. The girl was no fun to play with when she didn't put up a fight. He sighed. 

He'd have to play with her some other time. He took her hand, kissed it then threw it over his shoulder. He smiled at her wide eyed shock as he bent over and picked her up, carrying her like a baby and started strolling placidly towards the Griffindor common room. "Malfoy?" A voice came from behind them. Malfoy spun on his heal, changing his right arm for the one supporting Hermione, using his left free holding his wand. When he saw who it was he snorted and put his wand away turning back to walking. 

"Harry?" Hermione called slightly faintly from her position in Malfoy's arms. The sound of running feet echoed through the hallway as Harry caught up with them. Malfoy spared himself a sliding glance up and down the hero's body. Then he stopped at one body part, blinked and looked at Harry slightly surprised. 

"Who've you been with Potter?" He asked not concealing his smirk and continuing walking smoothly.

"I found Lithliya. She told me why you ran." He spoke only to Hermione and ignored Malfoy's question but answered it anyway. Malfoy stopped again, glancing back down at that part of Harry's body. 

"You bloody bastard." Malfoy swore loudly. "You absolute little shit." He couldn't believe he'd been so blindly stupid. Lithliya was attractive but she'd not dated anyone he knew of, as it made her have a weakness. And now Lithliya was on his list he wasn't having her anywhere near Potter.

"What?" Harry asked sounding confused. He had registered Malfoy's comments that time. "Why are you carrying her? Did anything happen to her?" He asked suddenly worried. Hermione rolled her eyes at him over Malfoy's shoulder. 

"She got a little tired and cold." Was Malfoy's blunt explanation. They were getting closer to the Gryffindor common room. 

"Do you know what happened with the Ravenclaw?" Harry said as he double-stepped to keep up with Malfoy. Malfoy stopped again and Harry had to hurriedly stop himself and turn round. "It was what they went to the meeting about." Hermione was straining her neck so she didn't have to look at either of them. Malfoy looked down amusedly at her, chuckling softly.

"Sounds quite interesting whatever it was." He commented looking expectantly at Harry. Harry's face was grim.

"She was raped. By a Death Eater." Malfoy let out a whistle. 

"Now that is interesting isn't it?" Malfoy said to Hermione, who let out a sigh and blinked back tears. She also let out a squeal as she was tossed in the air a little as Malfoy rearranged her to be carried. Malfoy smiled and nodded at Harry before continuing up the corridor. 

"He had some sort of invisibility spell or perhaps a cloak. He did it in broad daylight. During lunchtime." Harry pointedly said as they reached the final corridor. Harry abstractly wandered how Malfoy knew where the Gryffindor common room was. 

Malfoy felt like he was being probed for information. He cast Harry a searching look before deciding to impart some of his knowledge as well as sarcasm. "And you'd know all about invisibility cloaks wouldn't you now Potter?" He stopped outside the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Death Eaters are using rape as a weapon of fear. They lost some of that when half their lot was sent to Azkaban. Proved they were only human. I doubt that this is an isolated incident. And I doubt he's alone. Take this." He passed Hermione to Harry, smiling as Hermione skirt hung down, revealing her. 

"Night Malfoy." Malfoy started walking down the corridor. 

"Oh and Potter." He turned and smirked at the hero. "I don't even want to hear of you looking at Dremae, got that?" He smirked once more before continuing down the corridor. _Now why would a innocent, virginal head girl be wearing lacy red underwear?_

-*-

Hermione rose from her bed. It was midnight and she still had got no closer to sleep than when Malfoy had pressed her up against that wall. Her mind was in turmoil and she was afraid to sleep. Her thoughts were occupied with a multitude visions of Death Eaters, of Malfoy laughing, of Harry shouting, of Ron dead, of Ginny screaming, of the Ravenclaw girl crying by the fire in the prefects common room.

Her room was white with red linen and gold coloured furnishings. As deputy head girl and the most studious student in Hogwarts, Hermione was given her own room. It was at the top of the tower which the girls dormitories were situated, looking over the Forbidden Forest. She gazed out at the blackened night for a little while her thoughts lost. She almost jumped as the rain spattered against the window. Short, sharp showers, the result of a warm weather front, had held the school captive for two and a half weeks so whenever the boys returned from Quidditch they came back covered in brown mud. 

She sighed and stalked back to her dressing table, angrily putting a band in her hair before grabbing her dressing gown and opening her door. She snuck down the stairs and tiptoed across the common room. She spied Ginny in a far corner talking with a boy. The 'Veaslvy' was unmissable. Hermione did not think Ginny had seen her. 

Hermione reached the far staircase and hurried up, making no sound. The boys' staircase had not been charmed against any girl climbing them. She reached the tip of the spiral staircase and knocked gently. A curious "Come in." Was the answer. It was an awake voice. She came in closing the door behind her. "Hermione?" Harry voice asked from where he sat, still in school shirt and trousers on his bed. Ron was opposite him sitting on a chest, they had evidently been having a discussion. 

"Yeah. Sorry. I was just a little nervy. With the attack and everything." Harry held out his arm to her and she walked as slowly as she dared over to him, sliding onto the bed and leaning on his shoulder. Ron came and joined them. 

"Harry was telling me what happened. What, in the name of Merlin, were you doing walking around the corridors at night alone?" He asked offering her a chocolate frog. She shook her head for a negative to the chocolate frog which he promptly opened and ate himself. "I men its 'addness." Ron said through the chocolate.

"I wasn't alone." Ron raised an eyebrow. "I was with Lithliya, the head girl." Hermione noticed Harry turn away from them both, and winked at Ron who blinked and looked confused. Hermione rolled her eyes. 

"And that makes it so much better." Ron said swallowing the frog hastily. He had a little brown moustache. Hermione was about to retort when Harry cut her short.

"That's enough. We're tired, we need sleep. We can worry more about it in the morning. I've called a prefects meeting in the common room directly after lessons. We can all discuss it then, after the teachers have put their rules and advice down which they'll probably do tomorrow morning. I think Padma wants to play truth or dare again too." Ron grimaced and Hermione giggled. "You can stay here tonight Hermione, if you want. Though you're lucky I don't have a girlfriend." 

"Thanks Harry." Hermione said flopping down on the bed. "Hey, do head boys get softer beds?" Harry chuckled and waved goodnight to Ron. 

"Did that wanker do anything to you?" Harry asked rolling over to look her in the eye. Hermione looked at her wrists, which bore no mark of her earlier encounter. 

"No. I don't think he's much of a wanker either. Anytime he wants any he's got the whole of Slytherin girls to pick from. It's not like he's not wanted. I don't think there's a girl in this school who'd say no. Except me." She contemplated sleepily. She was rambling. She knew it. _Bugger it all_, she thought staring up at Harry's red canopy. "Did you know canopy beds were invented to stop the cats, dogs and bugs falling from the attic onto the sleepers? They use to put the cats and dogs in the attic because heat rises and it was warmer... and the bugs went there for the same reason. But they often fell through the holes."

Harry looked down at her sleepily. "No I did not know that. Thank you for telling me." He smiled at her before getting up from the bed, causing it to spring up a little, and unbuttoned his shirt. "I don't think Lithliya would go to his bed." Hermione smiled to herself. "Or Ginny. Or you. And I don't think Millicent Blustrode would either. Though I'm sure even Malfoy wouldn't ask her. He'd probably shoot her if she tried anything. Actually one of the Unforgivables seeing as he's so anti-muggle." Harry turned back to Hermione and smiled. She looked very young when she slept. He pulled his shirt off himself and undid the buckle on his belt. He left his trousers on. 

He walked back over to the bed where Hermione was sleeping and, trying not to disturb the bed too much, he climbed on and slept. 

-*-

A silence fell upon the hall as Dumbledore rose to speak. "I have some bad news to tell. A student was attacked yesterday lunchtime by an unseen man. We believe him to be a Death Eater. He was using some sort of invisibility spell. We'd ask all students to be very aware and alert when walking the corridors and we ask nobody," Dumbledore glanced at Harry and Hermione before over to the Slytherin table where Malfoy continued to eat, regardless of the Headmaster, and Lithliya sat, "to go out alone. Please make sure you go about in groups of at least three. Thank you." Silence resounded the hall for seconds before people began talking again in worried fast tones.

Harry finished his breakfast early and travelled to the Hufflepuff table where he told the prefects about the meeting, then the Ravenclaws and last he braved himself for Malfoy. When he approached Malfoy stopped eating and rose to greet him, a cold blank look on his face. "There is a prefect meeting for all prefects tonight directly after class." He glanced down the table to Lithliya, who was watching him. He nodded to her, to which she raised an eyebrow and he felt like a fool. "I think we'll be continuing truth or dare afterwards for the 7th years and heads." 

Malfoy smirked. "Good. It was my turn to ask somebody." Harry closed his eyes for a second and wondered how he would survive the day. 

A scream interrupted that thought. Harry and Malfoy both looked up to see a girl, first year running towards them full tilt. She jumped forwards, Harry dodged backwards out her way as she charged into Malfoy sending him a couple of feet backwards. "What the fuck?" He heard the Slytherin King exclaim. There was hushed giggling about the hall.

"Isss innnn bllloooood!" The girl squeaked. Malfoy stood to his full height looking down at the girl. She goggled at him and hiccuped. 

"Rowan, you're a Rowan aren't you?" Malfoy said. He looked down the line of Slytherin seats, but did not see the other corresponding mahogany coloured head. He snorted in disgust and turned to see Snape heading towards them from the teacher's table. "Where is it?" He asked the girl who was now clinging tightly to his leg. She pointed out the Great Hall and he rolled his eyes. "Show us." The girl whimpered and clung to him tighter. He growled and shook his leg.

The girl let go and, looking up at Malfoy with big eyes, she began walking, as if on a death march, back out the hall. She led them down a pretty maze of passages, an abstract way to the Slytherin common room one used when one was trying to loose someone following them. They eventually reached a wall that Harry had passed the night before with Lithliya. 

There was blood on the floor from where it had dripped down from the wall. The wall's words were in neat script that was distorted by the excess blood used. The blood itself was shining a bright purple where the light hit it. It was the blood of a vampire. "I guess they ran out of human blood." Malfoy thought out loud. 

The words read, through the dripping blood; 

****

Their blood began this

Their blood will end this

__

Hardly poetic but it would do Draco thought lazily as he leant against the opposite wall. A few seconds later McGonagall, Granger and Lithliya joined them. Draco glanced over Lithliya as she examined the words. She looked back at him and her gaze dropped first. So she was hiding something. He felt his jaw tighten. 

"I'll tell Professor Dumbledore. And I think I passed Finch on the way here. I'll tell him to come along and clean this mess up. None of you speak a word of this." McGonagall warned as she stormed off. Snape disappeared off in the other direction, his eyes watching the walls he passed. 

"What are you hiding?" Draco asked her as soon as the Professor was out of sight. Lithliya turned and looked him dead in the eyes. He noticed that her gaze was not quite fixed and there were bags under her eyes.

"I saw him last night. I mean I heard him. We ran right into him." Lithliya explained looking Draco dead in the eye. He sighed and cocked his head.

"By we I suppose you mean yourself and Saint Potter?" He drawled looking over to the two Gryffindors. Harry was watching him with a dead stare whilst Hermione was staring shakily at the words. "Potter, shouldn't you be looking after your little friend?" That seemed to shake the hero who looked startled at Hermione who was glaring shakily at Draco. Draco smiled courteously at her before turning back to his girl. "And?" He prompted Lithliya. 

"And I ran back to Harry. I told him about the attack. He walked me back to the common room." _The guy really must get no sex life if that gives him a boner_. He gave Lithliya a sarcastic, eye-rolling look before motioning for her to go on. "And we walked passed here on the way back." _I'm sure you just walked back if he chose this spot to write_. 

"Now maybe I'm taking it out on a limb here, Potter." Malfoy coyly said as he walked over to the wall. "But I do believe the 'their' referred to in this might well be mudbloods and Muggle borns." Harry looked at Malfoy with a straight face. He was still hugging Hermione but able to look over her head to glare at Malfoy. _Two birds, one stone_. "But I do believe that the girl attacked yesterday was pureblood. The McKennels have been pureblooded Ravenclaws for many a year, I think." Harry shrugged. 

"So you think that they are putting up a facade of going after Muggle borns and half bloods but really going after the general populous." Harry said calmly. 

"Either that or..." Malfoy paused looking over his shoulder to Lithliya who moved up beside him. His gaze switched back to Harry. "It's two Death Eaters with their own ideas about their mission." 

"We'll just have to tell everyone to be alert. Muggle born, half blood, pure blood, the lot of them." Lithliya said quietly. The boys nodded. Hermione was now standing on her own apart from Harry. She was quietly watching Lithliya and the boys had a small feeling they'd missed a silent conversation. "We'd better get to class." She said quietly slipping off in the direction of the Slytherin common room. 

Malfoy was about to goad Harry some more but realised just in the nick of time the girl was going off on her own again. "LIYA!" he yelled down the corridor. It echoed back at him. The girl froze turned round on him angrily. "Don't you walk off without me. There's fucking Death Eaters about and you're walking off down a deserted corridor during lesson times?" Draco was pleased Lithliya had the decency to look embarrassed. He swaggered off to where she stood and they walked off together in silence leaving a confused girl and a brave boy behind.

-*-

Well that's enough for one day. Phew. Is my hard work being rewarded? Rebiew! Perwease?

Click on Next time to see if: more blood appears on the walls, Hermione gets asked anything more embarrassing in Truth or Dare, Ron and Harry have to repeat the kiss, Malfoy gets his way? Find out! 


	5. Chapter Five: The Attack

****

Dedicated to Anatia. I can really spell your name but it's just so fun to see how many variations I can get on it.

**Frog:** I am still writing chapters! Just not the ones I posting. I also sometimes have to go back and change things in earlier chapters.... So much slash in this story I really have no idea about. I never knew Draco was into Harry. But now.... I see it all.

**Aanatia:** Because you are the one who does not read my journal and I always put it up in my journal. I think the author alerts might tell you too.... I always try ambitious pairings... Opposites are always so fun.

**Practikal Magik**: I swear I shall make Harry and Ron kiss again before this fic is over. I'll also try and get lots more slash in.. but you'll have to wait a little while.....

**Splodge**: You understand him very well. I think he would probably kill Harry for kissing Hermione let alone fucking her. Draco walking in on Snape/Dumbledore would send him to therapy for the rest of his days and would ruin his ambition to rule the world. I do not wish to know who has screwed your mistress but tell her she better have used protection. One Shadow is all I can handle.

**Wildchartermage:** Interesting name darling. I hope this will provide you with more detail and thanks for your review!

**Star19:** Another request for Harry/Ron slash? Well I may as well make this a Harry Ron fic! Glad you like the fic, doll. So without further adieu........ read on.

**AN:** This chapter contains mild reference to sex and violence. It also contains an irrate Draco. I'd like to thanks all my reviewers you guys are fantastic. Also my friends who cajoled me to write when I thought I didn't want to. You guys are brill.

**Chapter Five**

The Attack

The last of the younger year prefects left, glancing longing back at the seventh years who were forming the circle for truth or dare. The head boy and head girl seemed remarkably unkeen to participate but the threat that kept them there was that if they left they'd be the butt of all the dares. Hermione was also not that keen, her sleep though restful had not caught up on all her hours lost, and she was still tired. Ron however was almost jumping for a chance at revenge. Seeing however as it was Malfoy's turn to ask that possibility was unlikely.

Malfoy pulled himself onto a couch and lay spread out over it. Lithliya was sitting next to him, her eyes clouded with lack of sleep worse than Hermione's. "Pansy, truth or dare?" Pansy squealed with alarm. She had not been expecting that.

"Dare." She said hurriedly in high tones, alarmed and wondering Draco's ulterior motive for asking her. Any motive in fact for asking her.

"Give Weasley a hand job."

"What!?" Her voice echoed off the walls. Lithliya flinched at the sound, Harry was containing his laughter and Ron was panicking. The rest of the common room seemed to be absorbed in complete mirth.

"Well we're all seventh years. And I think we can move on to more adult things than kissing. Go on. It's not like you have never done it before. In that corner. We won't watch. Trust me. It's dark. Go on." Pansy got up scowling. Ron followed her, glaring at Malfoy who amicably waved and called out, "Watch her nails, they're on the sharp side." Malfoy allowed himself a smile.

That meeting had decided what the course of action for the prefects was going to be. Which was very little. The teachers had set down the boundaries and there wasn't much the prefects could do except making sure that all the students were walking about in threes or more. Harry however had done a rousing speech which had invigorated all students except the Slytherins and Hermione. The backlash of it was Malfoy was in a spiteful mood.

The students laughed and joke with each other for five minutes or so, pretending they weren't straining to hear every sound that came from the corner. By the end of the five minutes they didn't have to strain. Ron was making quite a bit of noise... Hermione felt sick and covered her ears. Draco noticed this and smirked at her. Harry noticing the smirking glowered at Malfoy before turning to distract Hermione from the sounds through conversation of their Potions essay.

Ron and Pansy came back into the circle a minute later. Suppressed giggling spread round the circle as the pair sat down on opposite sides of the circle. Ron's face matched his hair and the top button on his trousers wasn't done up. Pansy had her face flushed slightly pink and she was grinning like a cat. "Parkinson I thought I said hand job." Draco reprimanded looking at her mouth. Pansy's eyes widened as she wiped her hand across her mouth, her face now very pink. Groans of merry disgust passed round the circle.

"My turn." Pansy said pompously trying to overcome her sudden fall from grace. She eyed the circle meanly. Her eyes rested upon Harry, whose face fell spectacularly. "Truth... or dare?" She asked milking her power over her audience for all she could.

"Truth." Harry said not wanting to repeat Ron's actions.

Pansy's fat face fell. She huffed then thought. "Are you a virgin?" She asked snubbing her nose and eyeballing him in what he supposed she thought was a seductive action. It looked rather like a dead fish's head being rolled about.

Harry suppressed his smile. "No." He said calmly, memories arising. Hermione was ogling him with surprise and Ron was grinning knowingly. Hermione looked to Ron for confirmation and Ron smiled and nodded. Pansy was now sulking.

Harry glanced round the circle. He'd been too concerned with his truth to worry about his turn afterwards. "Malfoy." A hiss of breath came from around the circle. The tension mounted and the whole circle waited with baited breath. "Truth or dare?"

Malfoy smirked. "Dare." Harry hid his disappointment well. He had wanted to find out about what Malfoy was up to and what he knew about the Death Eater attacks. A dare for Malfoy... "Kiss Hermione's feet." Hermione yelped and pulled her feet close to her body, glaring at Harry. Harry shrugged. Ron was laughing maliciously at Malfoy whilst the rest of the circle were whispering to each other.

"Revenge is sweet." Harry whispered to her as Malfoy pulled himself up cockily. Hermione yelped and smacked Harry's arm looking helplessly up at the tall Slytherin King. She gulped and let him take her foot. She looked away as he bent and kissed her feet, kissing them just above the toes, barely brushing them with his lips but enough to cause her to moan into the seat she was burying herself into. Harry and Malfoy however both heard her. Malfoy grinned and put her feet down gently whilst Harry looked annoyed that his plan had backfired.

Malfoy swaggered back to his couch and spread back down on it. Revenge was sweet. "Truth or dare, Hermione?" He asked just as her face appeared out the couch. She glared at him and took a minute to think.

"Dare." She said unexpectedly. Harry sent Malfoy a warning with his eyes and Ron moved unconsciously closer to her. Malfoy just smiled at them serenely. He was idly thinking of what would piss Harry off most. Undoubtedly something with himself involved.

"I dare you to go into that black corner. For five minutes. And stand completely still." Everyone eyed Draco in shock. He nodded for her to go.

"What's the catch?" She asked standing up and dusting herself off. Harry and Ron were watching Malfoy keenly.

Malfoy arose from his couch again and put a hand on the small of her back to guide her into the darkness. "You're not going to be alone." Little squeaks erupted from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff girls and they dissolved into helpless giggling. Harry and Ron looked at each other and grudgingly knew they could not do anything.

The next five minutes passed in idle chatter except between Harry and Ron who were mutually agreed to listen and wait until a reason presented itself for the skinning alive of Malfoy. Lithliya was also not chattering, instead she had taken up residence of Malfoy's couch and to all intents and purposes seemed to be sleeping. Though neither Harry nor Ron thought she was. She was probably like them listening to any sound that came from the corner.

Contrary to this the only sound actually coming from the corner was the hushed voice of Malfoy whispering and the occasional gasp from Hermione. When she came back the boys were happy to discover her clothes were in the exact right place and that Malfoy's were too. They were not so happy that her pupils were dilated, her face flushed, her breathing erratic and she crossed her legs as soon as she sat down.

Malfoy arrived back in his seat, stretching out over the part Lithliya wasn't occupying and resting his head on her lap. She looked down at him amusedly and he smiled up at her coyly. "I think," the head boys voice came from the other side of the room. "We should call it a night." Everyone nodded. Although none of the Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs had been involved with that nights activity they were very glad they hadn't been. But it had been great to watch.

The prefects trooped out heading to the Great Hall five minutes late for dinner. The older students grinned when the saw the Gryffindors and Slytherins as their faces flushed and uniforms muddled. Tell tales signs of mischief.

--

Malfoy was sleeping deeply by the time the witching hour came on. He had neglected to do his Potions essay for the following morning but he'd feed Snape some line about late night problems with one of the first years and Snape would smirk and let him off. No, no worries, no concerns, Draco was sleeping peacefully.

The swearing in all Slytherins had been required to do had gone swimmingly. All had sworn in and all knew the price of betrayal. Spells and curses accompanied the swearing in meaning betrayers would never be able to hide. Pity Voldemort had not had that sense. Malfoy also knew that none of the Death Eaters lurking in the school would have known what was going on. Lithliya had put a charm around the Quidditch pitch stopping anyone from seeing anything but an empty moonlit pitch.

His dreams were of Crabbe losing his broom and smashing some second year Gryffindor into a wall because he thought he'd hidden it. And of Potter marrying Weasley, one of the male ones, with that daft old bat Dumbledore presiding. Regular dreams that reflected the memories of obscure thoughts throughout the day. Nothing important and nothing he'd ever remember in the morning.

His sleep was interrupted by several bangs. His eyes opened in a flash and he jumped out of bed. He pulled on some boxers from his wardrobe and pulled on his school robes that hung on a peg at the back of the door. He hurried down the stairs pushing passed bleary-eyed boys before he could find the problem. He reached the common room and yet still no cause for the disturbance. He heard girls screaming and turned round in a flash to the girls staircase. The first girl appeared to his sight, she was sobbing and screaming, running in blind terror she reached the bottom of the staircase and collapsed.

"Get her out the way," Malfoy ordered to a nearby burly sixth year, before charging towards the stairs. An invisible barrier stopped him from going up them. He slammed his fist into the wall, jarring his arm. "Get down here now." He swore as two frightened second years appeared into his vision. Damn these charms, how could stopping boys coming into the girls dormitories really help anybody? If you had a rendezvous you had it in an empty classroom or on the boy's bed.

"Anyone up there get down here now!" He yelled as loud as he could up the staircase. He was about to turn away to question the less hysterical girls who came down second when a gaggle of girls came tearing down the staircase yelling. He moved out their way scanning them for injuries or higher than 5th years. The girls all just seemed scared but without any injuries. Nor were there any of the higher years in amongst them. "Sit down and shut up." He ordered the girls who promptly took seats around the common room. Several boys went to join them; brothers, cousins, friends.

"Zabini, get any intelligent people you can and try to figure out a fucking counter spell for this fucking barrier!" He ordered the 7th year who had just appeared at the foot of the stairs looking confused. Zabini became alert at once and nodded grabbing another 7th year and then two 6th and the 5th year male prefect behind him as he dragged them upstairs. Malfoy then turned to the girls. He looked for one that was rational and not in tears. "What happened?" He spoke as clearly and calmly as he could.

"I don't know." She hiccuped and Draco reminded himself it wasn't good to use violence against women. "I heard screaming then I came out my room and there was this man." Malfoy looked up sharply, his upper lip twitched. "He was wearing black and he jumped out at us and we ran." She hiccuped again.

"Which direction had he come from and which direction was he going to?" Malfoy asked slowly as he possibly could. His hands were clenched tightly into fists at his side.

"I don't know, he was just standing there, like he was waiting." She hiccuped again. "Then he went off up the stairs."

"And where does that lead?" Malfoy asked his voice tight and strained.

"The 4th year dormitories." She answered meekly, hiccuping. Malfoy smiled sadistically and raised his hand above his head, it was still in a fist. The girl noticed it and Malfoy saw true fear in her eyes.

He dropped the fist after ten seconds. The whole common room was silent looking at Malfoy. "Those hiccups were annoying me." He commented before turning round to look back at the barrier. A dry chuckle echoed round the common room.

The chuckle had just died when the majority of the 4th and 5th female Slytherin students at Hogwarts came running down the stairs. Malfoy was this time not so happy with his scan. Most of the girls were fine, their pjs covering them, no injuries to show. However the ones closer to the rear of the convoy had clothes ripped, red patches of skin, the occasional splatter of blood.

Draco grabbed one that flew past him spinning her round to face him. She looked up at him with panic in her eyes before recognition faded in. "It's a Death Eater. I don't know which one his face is covered. We didn't have time to fetch our wands. He's got Lithliya up there, she is knocked out. And he told the rest of us to leave but the 6th and 7th years refused to. But he said he only wants the prefects."

"Bastard." Malfoy muttered to himself, letting the girl go and pounding his fist on the stairs.

"What's going on in here?" Snape's voice echoed through the hushed common room. Malfoy whirled around to see the professor standing by the stone wall entrance.

"There's a Death Eater. He's got the Head girl and prefects captured." Draco spat out the words. Snape glanced him over then dived up the staircase. Malfoy came closer to the barrier and poke it. It was still there. Must only apply to students.

A quiet reigned over the house for a minute or two, all below straining to hear of anything above. The first sign of life was a blonde head appearing from the spiral staircase. "I hope he gets castrated." The blonde was saying to someone behind her. The blonde head looked forwards and her eyes met Malfoy's. "Good evening, Mr Malfoy." The sarcastic tones of the head girl relieved the common room. Behind her appeared several 6th and 7th years looking worse for wear.

Malfoy took in Lithliya with a glance. She was wearing black satin pyjamas which made her head seem more golden and her eyes more blue. The only thing marring her was a dark red line running down her forehead. He morphed his face into a cold expression. "Why do I think some of the situation could have been avoided if you'd acted sensibly?"

Lithliya returned his cold stare. "Shall we go and talk Mr Malfoy?" She asked putting his aristocratic voice. Snape came down at that moment. He was breathing heavily and bore the marks of a struggle.

"He's gone. He won't be back tonight. You can all return to your rooms. Your proper rooms please. They'll be an announcement in the morning telling you what you'll need to know for next time." With that he stalked out, his robes flying out behind him.

Malfoy turned to the Slytherins who looked to him for orders. "None of the girls are to return to their dormitories. You are to stay with the boys, the beds are big enough. And if you find yourself a gentlemen then you can boot them out and some can sleep on the couches." The girls laughed timidly. "To bed, Slytherins, to bed." He clapped his hands and there was a flurry of movement.

Malfoy took Lithliya's wrist and pulled her up the stairs, all the other years flattening themselves against the walls to make way for the King and Queen. He pushed her into his bedroom so she was propelled into his bed before shutting the door and neglecting to put on any light. The half moon left a shadowy presence's across the room. She looked about for his shadow but could see nothing. She lay back on the bed and waited impatiently.

"Why did you wake up?" His voice was low and menacing. She did not try and search him out with her eyes.

"I heard my door opening."

"And that woke you up?" He had a memory of how deeply she slept. It was far deep than he. She had slept through the evacuation of the dormitories when that fool Black escaped. No one had tried to wake her because all assumed no one had been able to sleep through the hysteria and screaming. They'd had to go back for her after they realised she was missing. In fact he had realised she was missing. Only because one of the prefects had given him the job to check everyone in his year and below was there.

"I hadn't got to sleep yet." _Now that was the truth_. He had noticed the bags under her eyes the day before. "So I got up to see who it was. There was no one there. So I guessed who it might be. I was lucky, I walked right passed him, accidentally skidding on his cloak. It's an invisibility cloak. As soon as I saw him I kicked him in the stomach and darted out the door. I got down to the 7th year dormitories and shouted to them that the Death Eater was in the dormitories. And Pansy screamed. From there on you can guess." She finished, her voice in a monotone.

"I guess my brain has fallen asleep. You'll have to finish the story." His voice was like liquid; flowing, smooth, pretty, but with a dangerous undercurrent.

"Well he ran passed us down the stairs, I don't think he noticed us in the room. The 1st to 6th years had come out to see what was going on and the younger years screamed and ran away. I ran out down and jumped on him. He slammed me into a wall and after that I lost consciousness. I woke to shouting and eventually heaved myself up to see him pointing a wand at Snape. I jumped him from behind again and Snape got him with some sort of curse. Then I came down to you lot. Happy?"

Malfoy came into the moonlight, looking down at her intently. "No." He said. Her eyes dropped from his gaze and she rolled over off the bed. "You're staying here tonight. Don't think the rules don't apply to you as well. And I am not being the gentleman."

He heard her mutter something along the lines of 'I noticed that', before climbing back onto the bed and then under the covers. Malfoy followed suit, chucking away him robes, but not the boxers. He'd make a small sacrifice. He walked over to the bed and slide in on the side she had already taken, the side closest to the door. She rolled away from that side when he got in, rolling her eyes. _Men_.

Malfoy fell asleep sometime later, his mind wandering. He had Lithliya in his bed but he was not going to touch her... why ever not?

As the King and Queen of Slytherin as the name implied meant they were a couple. But they weren't. By all rights Lithliya should no longer be thought of as a Dremae but as a future Malfoy. It was what had happened to all Slytherin Kings before. His father had been the Slytherin King and his mother the Queen and they were married a year after leaving Hogwarts.

He had, with all the changes that he knew he would implement in Slytherin not really considered changing that tradition. But he had never thought properly as having Lithliya as a girlfriend. He thought of her as his, yes. But not as a person he'd ever like to fuck. More like, oh Merlin help him, a little sister. Or an ally. But not a girlfriend. No, if he got laid with a girl more than once this year the most likely person would be... Granger maybe. Not Pansy, that was his 3rd year whorre. Or there was a rather nice 4th year Slytherin. Or that 5th year Hufflepuff who had just come into bloom, so to speak.

A smirk played on his lips. Yes, Lithliya would be the Slytherin Queen, but not Draco's Queen. Not this year, nor the ones after. But she wouldn't be anyone else's. Harry Potter would not get the Slytherin Queen. Not on his life.

--

Virginia Weasley climbed quietly up the stairs to the deputy head girl's dormitory. It was quiet, but Ginny well knew that Hermione always got up a seven thirty, regular as clockwork. She knocked lightly on the door. There was no answer from within. She opened the door a touch and peered in. "Hermione?" She called softly.

From where she was standing the hangings on the bed obscured the bed from sight so Ginny crept in wondering if the head girl was for once still asleep. She needed her advice.

Ginny screamed.

She rushed out the room, ignoring the calls of frightened dormitory people wondering what had happened. "Ron! Harry!" She yelled as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"What's happened Ginny?" Harry asked coming from the boys dormitory stairs. Ron was close behind him. Ginny tried to ignore the fact that Harry was standing in front of her wearing only Quidditch boxers... but he had a well defined and muscled chest, strong arms and strong shoulders. And his belly button was an innie! And there was a small patch of dark hair leading downwards from it into the boxers...

She also tried to ignore, but she succeeded in this area, her brother who was also wearing Quidditch boxers and who had also got a ginger slug trail leading down.... She shuddered at the thought. She did the fish look for a few minutes at Harry before shaking herself out of her revelry.

"It's Hermione!" She told them very fast. A confused and puzzled look passed through the boys faces. "She's been attacked!"

--

Mwhahahahah...... my first cliff hanger.. not much of one though. Review! sirens go off Review!

Click on next time to discover if: Hermione is alright, Ginny gouges her eyes out from looking at her brother, they play truth or dare a third time, anyone else is raped, Malfoy gets laid? Find out!


	6. Chapter Six: Wrath of the Dragon

Practikalmagik: Draco is a little possessive. I think it's craving for power. *pats Draco on head* What can you do? They're only men. My spelling and grammar do require improvements yes but you don't have to point them out. *blows bubbles*

Anaitia: Wow......... Long long long review! Excellent! I don't think I have Draco's character perfect. I think I probably have a rendition of his character through my eyes. Malfoy being the knight in shining armour maybe a little too much to hope for. I think you are right about the pride thing. He does rely on his image a lot and is naturally very proud of who he his and where he's from even if he is defying it. Methinks Harry and Ron will not get it together but don't tell Snails. Bad luck about the French. 

Shaders: I am sure the Lucius's love for DobBy is a side issue. If I ever wrote a sequel I would be sure to put in Lucius's love for DobBy. I never said he did something with his mouth, he can talk and 'play' at the same time! I'm sure he's had lots of practice. My mistake on the grammer but you don't have to point it out. 

Wildchartermage: Your pen name is interesting. Thank you so much for the compliment. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. 

Haystack: My reviwers have generally cool names... Glad you love this fic so much. Great to hear. I hope this update is soon enough and thanks for your review!

Thatonechick: I'm glad you like it. And I'm impressed with your insertion of bloody into absolutely. Skill, my friend, skill. 

Star: Well tell old shady-pants not to tell you bits of it. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And I hope you continue to enjoy it old bean. 

Haftmassa: Another reviewer with a cool name. Thank you for your review. I have to tell you I do know where Sweden is, I do know the capital (Stockholm, though maybe not the spelling) and I do know they bank very well. I also think Marilyn Manson is underrated. Enjoy! 

Chapter Six

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Wrath of the Dragon

Harry blinked for a minute then sped back up the stairs he had climbed down. Ginny's eyes remained fixed on his butt until he was out of sight. "How do you know?" Ron asked Ginny confused and slightly panicky. 

"Her bed. It's empty. And there's a big long knife embedded in a pillow." Ginny said hurriedly. Ron instantly relaxed however and turned back up the stairs. "What? Where you going?" Ginny asked still in mild panic. Harry and Hermione both appeared at the top of the stairs coming down calmly. 

"I was in Harry's room." Hermione explained quietly, blushing slightly. Ginny's face fell. "I couldn't sleep in my own room, a little too scared. I suppose I was clever." A dull silence followed.

"Ginny go fetch McGonagall. Hermione you'd better go and find out what the knife in your bed is about." Harry ordered, glad to be rid of Ginny who was gazing at him with irritation and wonder. 

Hermione opened the door to the room. She jumped when she saw a flash of movement in the corner of her eye. Luckily it was only the blowing of curtains in the wind. She walked to her bed where she saw the glint of metal in the early morning's light. The dagger was jewelled with snakes writhing up and down the handle, out of their collective mouths the blade came. It was well polish and with the gleam that told her no one had touched this without gloves on. 

She used the corner of her dressing gown to pull it out and carry it back down the never-ending dormitory stairs to Harry. She gave it to him as fast as possible and stood well away next to Ron. Harry was grimacing whilst inspecting the dagger which he held between his thumb and his index finger. "Right." He said, partly to himself, partly to his companions just as McGonagall stepped in accompanied by Ginny. 

McGonagall was not smiling. "Is that the dagger?" She asked taking it from him, swiftly removing it from sight of first years who were gawking at Harry and McGonagall with their bleary eyes. Harry nodded. She sighed. "Get dressed all three of you and report to Dumbledore's office." She ordered before sweeping out the room. 

-*-

Lithliya dropped down on her bench in the Great Hall with a thud. She heard Draco elegantly plop down next to her but ignored him. She'd finally got some sleep, finally and now all she wanted was some more. She laid her head on her arms and closed her eyes.... ah. 

"Miss Dremae, Master Malfoy?" It was McGonagall. They both looked up and McGonagall shrewd gaze rested on Lithliya for a little too long for Malfoy's liking. "Dumbledore wants to see you in his office immediately." Malfoy nodded and rose instantly whilst Lithliya took a minute to lament her fate of never being able to get any sleep again. 

Draco stormed down the corridors at a leisurely pace taking pleasure in the mornings cold sunshine and the squeals of frightened first years who made the mistake to get in his path. He was big, he was tall, he was strong. Lithliya trailed behind not quite able to keep up with his leisurely pace, especially as walls kept lurching out at her. Several corridors from Dumbledore's office Draco turned round and grabbed her around the waist and carried her along. 

Before they turned the corridor that held Dumbledore's office Draco spun her round and put her against a wall. "I'm betting this will be about the attack last night. So watch what you say." His grey eyes scanned hers. Her eyes were not quite focused and she was having a hard time keeping them open. He shook her a little and that seemed to wake her up a little. He then released his grip that pinned her to the wall and let her fall into his arms. She moaned a little before trying to set herself on her feet.

A third year Griffindor was staring at them wide eyed. Malfoy turned to him, still trying to support the girl in his arms. "Do you have something you'd like to say, boy?" The boy looked at him stonily. Oh god another 'hero'. Malfoy let go of Lithliya, who managed to stand quite well, and walked towards the boy. "Five point from Griffindor for staring. Do you want any more points taken off?" He asked quietly. He didn't see Harry advancing towards him. The boy shook his head quickly. "Then get lost." The boy darted off down the corridor. Malfoy spun round coming face to face with Potter. Malfoy smirked at him before walking over to Lithliya and strolled very close to her down the corridor to the Gargoyle. Hermione and Weasley were already there.

Just as they arrived the Gargoyle began moving, revealing the staircase. All trooped up it, Slytherins first, then Harry, Hermione, Ron. Dumbledore smiled at them cheerily as they walked in. There were five identical chairs spaced out in front of Dumbledore's desk. Malfoy took the furthest chair, Lithliya the one next to him, Harry the one next to her, Hermione after him then Ron on the farthest seat. 

"Well, it's good to see you all together." The old wizard smiled, his face crinkling up. The portraits murmured sounds of agreement. The students looked at the floor, except Harry and Malfoy. "Well, let's not beat around the Hippogriff. There was two attacks," All the students heads darted up staring in surprise at the Professor. "One on the head girl, and one on the deputy." Malfoy leant back in his chair, his face devoid of anything that could be related to emotion. His hands told a different story as they were balled into fists.

Harry glanced over at Lithliya, who was looking at the floor, her feet curled up under her and her arm crossing her stomach. He saw no visible sign of injury. Her gaze swept up to meet his, her face coloured and a bright red scar stood out on her forehead which her blonde hair had been covering before. Her looked back at Dumbledore waiting.

Hermione glanced over at Lithliya then at Malfoy. He looked like murder. Lithliya was looking at the floor. Then she looked up... at Harry. Hermione let a small smile tickle her lips and she looked back at Dumbledore. "Now I will not conceal from you this is a very grave situation. We have two Death Eaters about the school with invisibility cloaks, meaning they could be anywhere. We have put up spells on certain places in Hogwarts, such as this office which alert the owners of the room of anyone entering and exiting. However it is not practical for it to be done to the common rooms."

"This morning a team of Aurors will be arriving from the ministry to hunt down these Death Eaters. But Hogwarts is a large place. We know who they are targeting." Dumbledore's eyes rested on Lithliya and then Hermione. "We know they are trying to establish fear. What we ask is that you try to keep up with your studies. We do not want you to fight these Death Eaters unless you have to. Your fight will be later." The boys moved uncomfortably at this sentiment and looked at the floor. "We are doing all we can. Remember you need to send out the invitations for the banquet soon."

-*-

Malfoy paced up to the third floor. His eyes were flashing and his hand was gripped on his wand. All portraits stayed silent as he passed, all things moved out his way. He was Draco Malfoy and everything knew that. Except a little girl. 

She appeared crying halfway down a corridor, she was small, perhaps the smallest girl in school. Her hair was black and in messy plaits down to her shoulders. She was Korean in origin, wearing the colours of Ravenclaw. She looked up at him through tear stained eyes as he stormed round the corridor. "Please!" Her voice wavered with a sob as she climbed to her feet and ran to him. "I've been lost for ages, please tell me where I go to get to the Divination tower?" Malfoy eyed her carefully. 

He then hit her with his arm into the wall, a sickening crack echoing round the corridor spinning round in his heel to face... nothing. "Coward. Show yourself." A laugh came from behind him and he spun again. Macnair's face appeared hovering in the middle of nowhere. "You haven't changed." Malfoy sneered straightening up and appearing to lose his fighting stance.

Macnair's face contorted into a mask of disgust. "You're really pathetic, Malfoy. You could have been everything. But look at you. You've got nothing." Malfoy laughed, annoying Macnair. 

"I've got so much more than you have." Malfoy laughed advancing towards the Death Eater. "I have wealth, I have women, I have power. I have my own mind. And that's something you'll never have. Not under your mudblood lord." Macnair half-heartedly sneered and backed away. 

"You know nothing of the Dark Lord's real power." Malfoy raised an eyebrow. 

"And he knows nothing of mine. You have your uses Macnair. As does Dolohov. But not that many. Watch whose toes your treading on. Touch any Slytherins and I'll kill you. Touch the head girl or deputy head girl and I'll kill you. I'll let you stay for now, Macnair, but don't think you stand a chance against me." Macnair's eyes were widened.

"How did you know it was me?" A deep rough voice came from behind. Malfoy turned slowly smirking. Dolohov was a sight for sore eyes. His left eye was swollen shut and across his face ran little red lines evenly spaced. Malfoy laughed.

"Have a little trouble with the deputy head girl's cat, Dolohov?" He jeered, his wand idly clasped in his right hand. "It had all the trademarks of being you. Raping in broad daylight. Had Dolohov written all over it. Even Potter knew it was you. Now finish your business here and leave." Malfoy ordered quietly. He made to leave, passing the way he had come.

"Malfoy." Macnair called him back. "What if our business involves Slytherins and the mudblood?" Malfoy's face flickered from dark to darker. 

"Then I suggest you find out who you're more afraid of. Me or your mudblood lord." He turned to leave again, but stopped himself. "Mobilicorpus" He said to the first year Ravenclaw. Her body floated up from the ground, her head at an odd angle. "Have you released her?" He asked Macnair who nodded solemnly. 

Malfoy began striding back towards the Hospital Wing, the body of the girl flying a little way behind him. He managed to scare several Gryffindors who he passed on the stairway with the girl behind him. If he had been in a lighter mood he might have laughed at them. They got to the doors of the hospital wing before he stopped and turned to the girl. "Ennervate" He said. Her eyes opened and she clasped her head moaning. "Shut up." He said and she looked up at him fearfully. "Obliviate." He said and the girl promptly fell to the floor. Malfoy knocked on the door to the Hospital Wing before turning back down the passageway and disappearing from sight.

-*-

"What the hell did you think you are doing?" Goyle advanced on the 5th year Ravenclaw boy. The boy trembled and stepped back, gaping at the large 7th year in front of him. "Eh? What?!" Goyle had backed the boy into a wall. Behind him stood Crabbe who was equally aggressively positioned then behind them Parkinson and some other 7th year Slytherins. The boy's support in Ravenclaw consisted of a girl and two boys both 5th year. 

It was the beginning of lunchtime. Harry had stopped eating in the regular lunch spot in favour of patrolling the corridors, instead taking in lunch in the kitchens during one of his frees. In NEWT years you had only three to five subjects leaving you with blank periods on your timetable meant to be used for studying or sports or prefect duties. At first patrolling he had felt like he was fumbling in the dark. The Death Eaters could have been walking next to him and he wouldn't have known. So instead he'd made use of his own invisibility cloak. 

Now he was standing watching the scene from a corridor. He would interfere, being head boy, but he did not wish the Slytherins or more pacifically Malfoy to know of his cloak. And besides this was turning out to be interesting. All the Ravenclaw boy had done wrong was ask the girl out by going down on one knee, a little over dramatically. And the Slytherins had acted like he'd attacked one of their own. "I ... was ... just asking her outttttt" The boy spluttered his glance travelling to the Ravenclaw girl, who's eyes were on the floor. _Did she know why the Slytherins were acting like this?_

It was then that Zabini stepped forward with an icy face. Crabbe and Goyle backed off slightly letting Blaise take charge. "You were just asking her out?" Blaise repeated in a voice not far off a whisper. Blaise turned to his audience that had gathered around him at this incident. "Here this now, all of you. If any man," Blaise paused, smiled and winked at the Ravenclaw girl, "or woman so much as looks at this girl in the wrong manner they shall have the entirety of Slytherin house upon them. And that goes for any female in Slytherin and all under the girls who belong to a Slytherin. Or boys." He added tossing his head of black hair and smiling. 

Harry's invisible face formed a frown. _This was new, chivalry. Malfoy really was turning them around._ Harry felt something touch his back and he whirled round. The head girl was standing gaping at the space in front of her. She stepped back and was about to scream when Harry hastily clamped a hand over her mouth. "It's me." He whispered glancing back to see if anyone had noticed. They hadn't. Apparently Zabini was a born thespian. 

Lithliya's eyes popped back into her head and she nodded. Harry smiled but then remembered she couldn't see him. However she was trying to gage where to look at and it was disturbing to say the least. He grabbed her arm, not wanting to risk talking again. He took her into an empty Charms classroom. He pulled back the hood of the cloak. "I was patrolling the school. Without them seeing me." He explained hastily. The he looked at the floor. 

Lithliya blinked for a second then leant back upon the desk behind her. "Are you feeling up to par, Mr Potter? Your face appears to be a little flushed and your eyes appear to be transfixed upon the floor." _Oh no,_ Harry thought with dread, _she's in one of her long word moods_. 

"Yes I'm fine, thanks, Liya." Lithliya eyed him and suppressed ansigh. He was showing all the signs of an awkward teenager confronted with a girl who he really really fancied. _Oh dear_. She looked down at herself. It would be so much easier if she didn't like him too. No actually that would make it better. What the real problem was came in two words that just rolled off the tongue, _Draco Malfoy_. "Are you sure you're okay? After... last night..." She cocked an eyebrow. 'After last night' usually referred to a night of virgin's hot sex.

And Harry just realised this. Lithliya quelled the traitorous urges to coo at him as he blushed a lovely shade of pink and shifted uncomfortably. But he still looked like the brave Gryffindor. She was a traitor to her house. She knew it as she stepped towards him, standing on tip-toes to gain that extra inch of height so she could looked into his eyes. Her hands found his invisible solid chest, her eyes found his lips... her lips found his lips. _Perfect_. _Utopia for two seconds_. For that is how long the touch lasted. 

Her lips nor his lips moved, they just remained touching for those two seconds. His arms did not sweep round to hold her up. Her arms did not circle around his neck to deepen their kiss. One of her legs did not 'accidentally' move between his legs. Their tongues did not meet. _Utopia for two seconds_ was just to feel his lips brushing hers. For just two seconds.

She stepped away and smiled up at him. "What must never be, Mr Potter. As you saw back there. What must never be." Her bottom lip twitched, she couldn't stop it. She saw his face fall from shock to confusion. She blinked, her eyes were dry, she looked to the ground by her feet, then to the door then which she headed for straight away. She did not hesitate by the door but walked straight out, head high, body strong, face impassive. A huddle of Hufflepuffs darted out her way.

-*-

Hermione looked up from her work. There was no one there. She sniffed and began to pour back through the thick textbook. She picked up her quill and made a note on the parchment. She was disturbed again by the hair band in her hair falling out. She sighed irritably, the wind sending her bushy hair into her face. She picked up the hair band from the table beside her. Getting up she closed the window in the library with a bang. This was her free period so there was nobody to disturb, except Madam Pince who was busy down the furthest end of the library. 

"Damn wind." Hermione complained as a couple of pages were turned in the text book, ignoring the nagging voice that told her that her hair band would have landed on the other side of her if it had been blown by the wind. And that the pages were turned after she closed the window. After all the wind was the only logical answer. 

"Damn wind indeed." A quiet low voice came from... nowhere. There was no one there. It was just an echo on the wind. Hermione shivered and slammed the book shut. She'd do more studying later. It was a little too draughty in the library. She returned the book to the shelf, her back to the world, when she felt a warm breath down her back. Just a gust of wind. She hurriedly turned round and ran back to the table packing her quill and parchment into a bag. She felt something grab her wrist and she hit out at it with the other hand, gasping loudly. 

"Macnair" The voice was loud and sharp in and directed as an order. Hermione did not comprehend the word nor the speaker, only that she was saved. She collapsed back into the chair sobbing a little. 

"I never thought that they'd come to Hogwarts. I thought we were safe here." Her breath was in little gasps as if she were crying. "But they've come. I never thought..." She was stopped by a face appearing in her vision. The Malfoy cocked eyebrow and the Malfoy cocked sneer appeared in her field of vision. 

"Hello Hermy." Draco said cocking his head on one side and smiling at her. "Nice day for studying isn't it? Not to hot and not to cold." He was laughing at her. She may have been distraught but she still knew when someone was laughing at her. "Smashed your spectacles didn't it Granger? Death Eaters in Hogwarts. Dumbledore wouldn't allow that would he?"

Hermione looked away, no longer confused but mad. Draco smiled satisfactory. He'd got her out of hysterics and now she was just mad. A mad Granger Draco knew how to cope with. "Well at least I'm not a Slytherin." She said huffily in return. Malfoy gazed at her through the raised eyebrow for a second. 

"Is that it?" He asked. "I've heard Goyle use more inventive insults." Hermione sniffed. Draco smiled and leant forwards. He kissed her hard on the lips. She had no time to do anything before he pulled away and walked round the table idly playing with her quill. "Peeves got his benefits by the way." Draco commented hiding his mirth at her confusion very well. "Oh don't you remember? The night before last." He put in a sigh, as if remembering and hid his smirk. 

"I don't particularly wish to remember." Hermione reprimanded him, turning in her chair to face him. His face was as ever his mask of what he wanted it to be. Draco's face looked like he was upset at this news. 

"Yes. Peeves got a new stock of... Well let's say it might be best to invest in air fresheners for the near future." Malfoy let his act drop and laughed out loud as Hermione's face contorted into a cute grimace. He snubbed her nose and grabbed her wrist pulling her up out of her chair. 

"What do you think you are doing?" She exclaimed. He smiled back at her holding her bag out to her. She took it carefully, checking through the top to see any snakes inside. It was just her packed bag. "What?" She asked faintly. He smirked at her before strolling off towards the door. She, not wanting to be caught alone again, ran to catch up. 

"Come on, Hermy darling, we only have five minutes until Transfiguration starts." He said to her strolling down to corridor. The corridors were buzzing with activity as lessons had just let out and students were walking to their next lessons. Hermione tried to slow down, she did not want to be seen with Malfoy. But no matter how slow she seemed to walk Malfoy was able to stay only a few paces ahead of her. 

They arrived together. Speech evaded Harry and Ron like Ron and Spiders. Some of the Slytherins offered to take the Gryffindors to Madame Pomfrey to have their jaw reattached. The Slytherins seemed to find the situation amusing. A mortified Hermione hurriedly pushed passed Zabini and ran into the classroom, Ron and Harry dashing behind, Malfoy strolling in laughing with Zabini. 

In the five minutes before Professor McGonagall arrived the following happened: Pavarti leaned over to Hermione and whispered 'Nice one, he's got a fucking great arse and from what I hear a fucking big...', Ron and Harry after dismissing this with shuddering thoughts queried Hermione who told them as much of the truth as she dared which was not much (ie. Only telling them he met her walking back from the library and she couldn't shake him off), the Slytherins celebrated their leader with jeering catcalls and rounds of applause. 

What the Gryffindors were wondering was why the Slytherins were celebrating...

-*- 

Yeah... Now if you'll drag your minds out the gutter and please review. Not too many lewd comments if you please... THANK YOU!!!!

Next Time find out if: Lithliya breaks her never again, Peeves uses his new toys, Macnair and Dolohov strike again, Ron ever gets more than one line, Malfoy gets laid, and what this all has to do with a half eaten sausage... 


	7. Chapter Seven: Intoxication

**__**

Dedicated to Frog. For intoxicating the feathered population. 

I am sorry to announce that I have finished writing this story already (16 chapters and an epilogue) so there is no point asking me for something to happen. These things have already been written in the sands of time. Also I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed cos I was bowled over by them. You are all fantastic. Finally a little note on characters as several of you had commented Draco is getting away with murder and no one is stopping him. JK has kind of left me stranded. My OC Lithliya would stand up to Draco but she is in the same house as him and agrees with him to a point. Hermione is infatuated with him. And everyone else are weak little shrimps. I will try and serve Draco his comeuppance as soon as possible. 

Redaura: Draco is not protective methinks. Possessive. If they attack 'his girls' then its an attack on him. I know a guy or two like that. *sigh* bastards. Goes back to the rape laws where the crime in rape is not the attack on women but the theft of another man's woman. Glad you like it darling. 

WildChartermage: Thank you so much. Brill to hear.

PractikalMagik: I hadn't thought of that. He'd make quite a good mob boss. I don't suppose you'd make me live up to those standards of yours every time?

Raine an Frodo: I emailed you to thank you for reviewing so much. Dunno whether you got it or have just decided I'm weird. Peeves... well he's not a main character but he'll have a line or two. Glad I've started warming you up a lil to Malfoy. We have to love our bad guys. I will try to mention Ron in at least every chapter. I like your idea on the half eaten sausage. Alas no. But really it's only a half eaten sausage. 

Haystack: And that makes you one of my favourite reviewers ever. I hope this update is just as perfect and I can balance well on this pedestal. 

Someonelse: I'm glad I'm different. Nice to be different. Though I hope someday to venture along the line between genius and insanity however at the moment I am comfortably camped in the former.

Shadow Play 23: paradox/oxymoron. Same thing. I thought him saying that you're all going to die but make sure you continue to study was very like what quite a lot of teachers ask atm. As for your point about Draco and his woman beatingness. He's actually only hit one girl and she was under imperious and would probably have served as a distraction whilst Death Eaters laid into Draco. But yeah. I'll try and have someone slap him. 

Star: Glad you have sense when it comes to Shadders and glad you like the story. 

Anatia: Ahh I love Darren Brown. So cool. You picked that up well. But I think most people in Slytherin are scared of Dracy. I would say that revision is far more important than my story but I'm counting my story as English revision *cough cough*

Swurple Kitty: Don't worry we are in the same camp. Insanity is a gift given to few prized by many. Yeah, I think I wouldn't know what to do with him either. Damn men.

Sarkney 101: I'm very complimented. That's lovely to hear. I'm really happy know. *bounces off*

I will not be doing that long amount of replies again. It takes up too much space when you are suppose to be wanting to read the story. So I'll shorten them down and do group thanks probably if i get that amount again. 11..... *faints*

Chapter Seven

__

Intoxication

The weekend came slowly, bringing the bitter chill of autumn. A fine mist hung about the castle, making everything feel damp. The early morning Hufflepuff Quidditch practice was called off on account of visibility problems. All returned to their beds. The morning was one that even the early risers stayed that extra five minutes in bed. Hermione Granger was no exception. She had placed a spell about her room, affording her the comfort of safety. No one except her could pass through the door. In fact she was the only one who could see the door.

Hermione arose from her bed at nine in the morning. The castle was quiet. She put on her Muggle clothes; jeans and a long sleeved pastel blue t-shirt. Her eyes danced over her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was flowing down her back in waves, her eyes were large and bright and her skin was clear. She was not unattractive. So why had she not had a boyfriend since Viktor? 

She sighed and dismissed such thoughts. _And anyway you have Malfoy after you so you're not doing badly_. She stopped. _Did I just think that?_ She stopped and shook her head. Goodness the school pressure was getting to her. She hurried off downstairs to the Gryffindor common room and out through the portrait door, not waiting for Harry and Ron. She was just reaching the Great Hall when a commotion stopped her. 

Goyle was standing bellowing at a younger year Slytherin to 'Get Snape'. Just down the corridor from him was a small crowd of Slytherin's gathered round a collapsed figure on the ground. She hurried up. "Back away, give the guy some breathing space." Hermione leant over the boy, scanning him. His gaze was unfocused but he had no ailment she could see. "What happened?" She asked Crabbe who was shepherding the students away. 

"We was walking down here and someone sent a spell at him and he fell into the wall. And there was a smack." Crabbe added as an afterthought. Hermione studied the boy and nodded to herself. Crabbe however grabbed a boy who had just run down the corridor from the direction of the Slytherin common room. "Is he coming?" 

Just as the boy was about to answer Draco and Lithliya rounded the corner. They both had evidently just woken up as Draco's shirt was only done up at the bottom and Lithliya was wearing her pyjama top with her school skirt. Hermione only glanced up at them before turning back to the boy. "Dethcous." She said his name as she lightly tapped his face with her hand in an attempt to make him concentrate on something nearer than the moon.

Dethcous's gaze was removed itself from the far distance when Malfoy arrived in the group. Dethcous looked up at him, his gaze focusing as close as he could on Draco's face. Draco leant down, Lithliya standing behind him, Hermione kneeling next to Malfoy annoyed at this intrusion. "Was it them?" Draco asked looking deep into Dethcous's unnaturally blue/purple eyes. Dethcous blinked an assent. "Right." Malfoy said straightening up. "Crabbe, take Dethcous to the Pomfrey. And you too Goyle. Zabini come with me. Lithliya," His voice became sickly sweet. "Take the rest of you lot through to the Great Hall." 

Lithliya was looking at him with dead eyes. "Take care, Draconis." She said her tone low. She spun on her heel and looked to the rest of the Slytherins. "Quidditch match in an hour. We'll need all the food we can get. For the celebrating afterwards." The Slytherins roared and pranced off towards the Great Hall. Crabbe lifted Dethcous and plonked him over his shoulder, nodding to the girls before walking of with Goyle. Malfoy, Zabini and a few select others had already slithered into the shadows. "I feel like eating with intelligent company. Care to join me?" Lithliya asked the deputy head girl whilst still looking after Draco with thoughtful eyes.

Hermione sensing information maybe applicable through this meeting consented.

-*-

Lithliya sat close to Hermione on the end of the Slytherin bench. Lithliya had asked that they sit there as her moral building would be for nothing were she to change table. However the Slytherins that were down and enjoying their breakfasts sat at the other end of the table. "What do you wish to know?" Lithliya asked whilst watching the Gryffindor table of Hermione's shoulder.

"How did you-" Hermione cut herself off and guessed. Lithliya knew Hermione just agreed to sit with her so she could get information. "Is Malfoy's new approach real?" Hermione asked carefully picking up a new bit of toast and buttered it.

"What do you really want to know?" Lithliya asked looking at the food with minor abhorrence. She had slept well last night. Malfoy had made her sleep with him again though he never laid a hand on her in a sexual way. She had dreamt of Voldemorte's demise at Harry's hand; Harry standing over the black robed lifeless form of the previous dark lord. Then from the shadows behind Harry, white blonde hair with lifeless grey eyes appeared, she'd called out to warn him, but she couldn't make a sound. She was no better than Ginny Weasley. A teenager who just liked the idea of a knight in shining armour. _Well wake up sweety, this is the real world. The only knights here are gay_.

"Draco, Malfoy." Hermione corrected herself, blushing into her orange juice before turning back to her toast. "What is he up to..." Lithliya smirked looked at her with a Malfoy expression. She made little circles with her hand for Hermione to continue. Hermione blushed again and looked at her half eaten plate, the crusts lying on her plate. "In regards to... me. I mean why is he suddenly taking an interest in me. Why did he make sure he arrived at class with me yesterday. And why did all of you celebrate it?" Hermione blushed again and made apologetic noises. "I mean you weren't there, but Slytherins."

Lithliya studied Hermione. She checked the clock. It was ten o'clock. Only half an hour to go. "Draco likes you." Hermione snorted. Lithliya shrugged and poured herself a strong coffee. "I suppose if you want it more accurately. Draco wants to play with you. He finds you amusing. You're no longer an enemy... or rather you share an enemy. And with his sudden lack of interest in blood, with this summers revelations to him... He, err, fancies your body and your mind." Hermione was now looking distinctly worried. 

"How long do these... fancies of his last?" She asked choking out the words to the younger girl. 

Lithliya glanced at the clock again. "Err, I don't know. I've never known him have one before. I've got to go, cheer the troops. Don't worry about it too much, Draco will probably just fuck you and leave you, what he did to everyone in Slytherin. And Ravenclaw." Every full stop was punctuated with a gulp of coffee. She finished her cup and smiled down at Hermione as she rose to leave. "You'd better go and explain to Ron and Harry why you are over here." Lithliya smiled once before darting off out the main doors. 

-*-

"They're three types of Slytherin. There are the liars. Like Zabini." A deep cheer arose from the Quidditch players. There were four 7th years and the rest were 6th years. All the team were male and built like it. There were a couple of Lithliya own sitting on benches. 

Lithliya's own was the name given to the group of girls who followed Lithliya's lead. Marcus Flint had given them the name after someone had asked him who he wanted in the sack. 'Lithliya or her own lot' was his reply, he had been drunk. The name had stuck and the numbers included in it grew. They were attractive girls but with intelligence who had the reputation of always getting what they wanted. They had formed in Slytherin to provide against the overbearing males who ran the house but now even a couple of Gryffindors had been counted in the numbers. 

They had no meetings and they had no specific structure. It was more a system of standing up for one another and doing favours. Lithliya had requested a couple of the Slytherin members to her for the pre-match talk and as a distraction for the players from their match against Ravenclaw. 

"Those Slytherins who manipulate and scheme to achieve their own ends. Talk fancy words, say fancy things, appear to all eyes as fancy. But underneath..." A laugh rose from a couple of players who thumped Zabini. Lithliya continued. "Then they're those Slytherins who are thieves." 

"Like you." Malfoy cut in from behind her. Lithliya rolled her eyes and the players cheered and laughed. Malfoy had only arrived back from his business at twenty past ten. He left the speech to Lithliya so he could change. The players already knew the tactics. 

"Thieves, like me." She repeated dryly. "Thieves. Who steal few possessions. No, they steal laughter, they steal dreams, they steal peace, they steal lives." Coy, dry smiles appeared the on the Slytherins faces. Lithliya smiled and continued. "Then they're the things that make you scream. Or in other words Malfoy." Loud laughter came from in front and behind her. Lithliya smiled. "Things because they are too awful to be classified human. Make you scream because-"

"They're that damn good in bed." Raucous laughter echoed off the changing room walls. Lithliya smiled at Malfoy who had just finished changing. "Right, tactics team. Apologise to old Hooch for us for being a little late." He dismissed her without so much as a nod farewell. The other girls rose and trooped out through the changing room door. All the girls gave secret smiles to each other and laughed when the door shut. 

"Right girls, you ready? We got some crowd pleasing to do." The girls laughed again before straightening their robes. They walked out onto the Quidditch pitch. "Sonorous." The Ravenclaw players were not out yet. So the match would be starting late. A deep base drum started. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors and Slytherins." Lithliya announced to the stadium as they were spotted by the audience. "Welcome to Hogwarts Stadium for the match of Slytherin versus Ravenclaw." 

A month past, the beginning of term, Lithliya and the select girls had come out to the Quidditch pitch whilst the team was practising. After some mucking and much discussion it was decided that the girls should provide an introduction to the team, to warm up the crowd. Dumbledore had agreed. It was a chance for the girls who were not seriously considered for the team to show their skills on a broom. 

Lithliya picked up her broom, a Firebolt, as did the other girls. Draco had left the introduction totally to Lithliya, which would be fine as long as no one ever told him the music was Muggle. She lifted off the ground so she was flying level with the spectators. 

**__**

Tuck you in, warm within

Keep you free from sin

Till the sandman he comes

"The Slytherin team!" She called.

**__**

Sleep with one eye open

"Crabbe"

**__**

Gripping your pillow tight

"Goyle"

**__**

Exit light

"Warrington"

**__**

Enter Night

"Flint"

**__**

Take my hand

"Zabini"

**__**

We're off to Never Never Land

"Malfoy!"

Lithliya smiled when she saw the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs cheering. Except the boy Zabini had had that run in with yesterday. _Idiot_. Her girls were flying fast around the stands encouraging cheering and the clapping to the beat. Lithliya was flying over the Gryffindor stand with Malfoy. She smiled at him. He smiled back. Panic seized through her for a second. Then he sped towards her- and past her. She turned as quickly as she could following him. 

They played cat and mouse for half a minute as the Ravenclaw team emerged. Then she returned to her place by the Gryffindors. She ignored Harry's gaze on her. She twisted her broom round as the hush in the music began:

**__**

Now I lay me down to sleep

Pray the Lord my soul to keep

If I die before I wake

Pray the Lord my soul to take

Hush little baby, don't say a word

And never mind the noise you heard

It's just the beasts under your bed

In your closet, in your head 

Their acrobatics ended with dives from each house box. Rapturous applause broke out with cheers and whistles as the girls trooped back in. They had made their point; that they were as capable as the men on brooms. It was in the grand scheme of things unimportant but it was another point to use against Draco. If Lithliya ever needed them. 

They watched the match from the ground, the girls proud of themselves and flushed pink. Lithliya acted as one of them, feeling infinitely different. They cheered as loud as the crowd above when Malfoy caught the snitch, Slytherin winning 210: 80. The Ravenclaw team had been hampered by the mist that still clung to the air, whereas the Slytherin team benefited from the Clear Sight spell Lithliya had put upon them. The Slytherins had also been visibly better practised than before. 

Lithliya walked away from the victory, but with the bitter taste of defeat in her mouth. Her eyes met Harry's across the crowds and she hurried back to a crowd of Slytherin's celebrating. 

-*-

"I didn't like the way Flint was hooking the ball. I think he takes after his brother a little too much. Perhaps he and Warrington have been working together alone on the Quidditch pitch. Actually I've heard lots of things about what Warrington does on the Quidditch pitch... a lot to do with balls and not much to do with Quidditch..." Ron finished his ramblings with a shrug. Harry's gaze was lost somewhere in the crowd of people. "Hey, Harry, come on. Lunchtime." 

They met Hermione in the Great Hall for lunch, Ron telling Hermione about the match in detail, Harry gazing off towards the Slytherin table, Hermione explaining to Ron again why she ate breakfast on there, Ron and Hermione attempting to shake Harry from his daze, Harry nodding vaguely when Ron said 'Harry would you ever kiss Snape?' After that remark the entire Gryffindor table, who'd been eavesdropping grimaced, and Ron and Hermione left Harry to his thoughts.

Seamus arrived to the table just as they were finishing. "Hey, guys you have to see this." He said to the trio and the other 7th year Gryffindors. They followed him back up, Ron talking with Neville on the tactics one would use when trying to avoid kissing Snape. Hermione hung back taking Harry with her.

"Harry, you have to stop daydreaming." She said to him as they were far enough from the main body of Gryffindors not to be heard. "I know you fancy her but really even I am showing some restraint..."

"Who?" He said feigning blind innocence. Hermione glared at him. "Oh right. But Ron didn't notice did he? And what did you mean 'even I'? Does 'Mione fancy someone?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "No. Don't be so ridiculous Harry." Her voice reprimanded. Her face told no lies and she turned quite pink. Harry sighed. "As for Ron he wouldn't notice if an elephant with the words 'Harry's gazing at the head girl' walked in front of him. Though I'm surprised he wasn't a little suspicious when you admitted wanting to kiss Snape." 

"Yeah Ron is a little slow sometimes. But he's great in. What do you mean I want to kiss Snape?" He asked his voice rising in volume. The last part of the sentence was caught by two 1st years who looked at Harry with shock. 

"Don't worry about it everyone laughed about it. But if you didn't realise you admitted that you've got to realise your being a bit blatant." Hermione told him. "Leopard Worm." The passwords were now being changed every two days. Everyone was secretly keeping an eye on Neville just in case he made a list and lost it again. They went past the Fat Lady who gave them a nod. 

"Harry!" Ron came bumbling up as they came in. Ron's face was matching his hair and his movement were a little ungainly. "You have to try this stuff. Deeean got some from home for his birthday. It's called alcopol." 

__

Oh dear, Hermione's mind registered before she was dragged off to the 7th year boy's dormitory. Most of the 7th year Gryffindors were there already. A load of witches and wizards who have never even heard of alcohol before let loose upon it after a day of sporting achievements. _What could be worse?_ It was only then, naturally, that Hermione saw the alcohol Dean's parents had got him. _Scrap that. This was a nightmare._

-*-

"Shhh, shhh shh." The Gryffindors told each other as they stumbled down the darkened stairs to the Dungeons. They were all drunk. Several hours of drinking games and dinner skipping left them completely plastered. "Awww shit." Swore Ronald Weasley loudly as he stubbed his toe in the dark. The Gryffindors giggled hysterically. Then "shh, shhh" each other in the darkened corridor. 

To Hermione Granger this was great fun. She'd only meant to drink a little but she didn't. She couldn't remember how that happened. Didn't matter now. Was Harry sure this was the way to the Slytherin common room? She thought it was back right down there. Oh damn. She meant to say that out loud. She giggled to herself. She felt Harry giggle at her giggling and that became very funny. 

"Here it is." Harry said pulling himself up from his giggling fit then stumbling into Hermione who giggled at that. "Stop walking into me woman." He reprimanded her before standing up straight to say the password. "Erm... Leopard.. Leopard.. Worm! Oh. That's Gryffindor." Harry debated with himself as to what the password could be for several minutes. Soon enough random guesses came from the crowd behind him. 

"Forked tongue." Hermione said to Harry and then stuck out her tongue giggling. The wall slid open and a very surprised group of Slytherins looked round. Malfoy was in a fancy chair with Zabini opposite him, Dethcous and several other in the surrounding chairs. They had mugs of butterbeer on tables near them. "We have come too-" Hermione squealed as she fell over nothing. The other Gryffindors seemed to find this very amusing and then hopped over her to see the common room. 

Malfoy barely recovered from his shock at having the entirety of the Gryffindor 7th years invading him before he stood up to send them all out. The wall had already closed behind them. Hermione pulled herself up from the floor and giggled. "You're perdy." She said before stumbling. Harry draped an arm around him and mumbled something.

"What?" Draco asked shocked.

"You're like a brother to me man. Hermano y hermano." Harry said again before he got distracted by the fire. Ron was poking the staircase to the girls dormitories, all of which were empty, with a finger investigating the wall. 

"I thought I said no tricks on Gryffindors." Draco reprimanded his housemates present. They just shrugged looking as confused as he was. 

"No trick. It's Muggle alcopol." Ron said from his situation on the floor. "You should try it. Very fun." 

"Wheeeeeeee" Seamus was jumping up and down the stairs and Pavarti was grasping her stomach with laughter on the floor. 

"Get out." Malfoy ordered. 

"Don't be such a party pooper." Lavender said from her place on Dean's lap. "Meanie."

"Get out." He repeated. Groaning the Gryffindors did. Malfoy was glad that any Slytherins who would have woken up to the sounds of squealing had had the sense to not investigate. "That was interesting." He said as he turned his back on the wall door and walked into something soft. He looked down. Weasley was on the floor, drooling slightly. He kicked the guy. Weasley just groaned and rolled over.

"Boss." Malfoy turned and looked at Zabini who was cradling Hermione in his arms. She was idly playing with his black hair and he looked marginally happy about it. Malfoy sneered and walked over to Zabini, removing her from him. She protested about the lack of a play thing until she found Draco's trouser buttons. He closed his eyes and thought of Hagrid in a swimming costume. "Potter's here too." Zabini said slightly sulkily. 

Malfoy looked over at Harry who lay on a couch snoring loudly. He rolled his eyes. "Leave. Let's get to bed." Draco carried Hermione up to his head boy room. He opened the door loudly, casting a beam of light onto the bed. He walked over and dumped Hermione heavily on it. She was still playing with his trousers. "Lithliya." He said. The girl already in his bed moaned and turned over though did not awake. "Lithliya." He said louder. He had not patience right now. Lithliya's eyes opened and she stared at him confusedly. "There's a present for you down in the common room. You can stay down there all night." His voice was husky as Hermione figured out how to open his trousers. 

Lithliya examined him as much as she could with dreary eyes before climbing out of the bed and padding down the stairs. She shut the door behind herself. "Lumos." Malfoy said throwing his wand onto the bed. Hermione looked up at him with deviance in her eyes. When was Draco Malfoy ever one to refuse a lady? 

He pulled off his shirt as she undid his trousers letting them fall to the floor. He then pushed her back onto the bed pulling off her covering t-shirt. She was wearing a lacy black bra. He cocked an eyebrow and she giggled. He fiddled with the buckle of her trousers for a minute or so whilst she giggled merrily. "Dammit Granger you do like to tease." He commented on finally getting the blasted thing undone. She was wearing matching underwear. _Tonight ladies and gentlemen, Draco Malfoy will ride what has never even been contemplated as ride-able. Draco Malfoy will ride the Granger!_

-*-

Well well well. I hope you enjoyed that. I do believe the aftermath of this will be just as fun to write. I do think we ought to congratulate Malfoy on getting laid don't you? Review! Oh and the answer to the question you are all waiting for: what the hell did that have to do with a half eaten sausage. Absolutely nothing. The in depth research into the 'Scourge of the Dinnerladies' (the fiends of lunchtime) will give you more information on the subject of half eaten sausages if you are in need. 

All credit to Metallica for Enter Sandman the song used in this chapter. 

Click on Next time to find out: if Malfoy gets laid again, if Harry is successful at scoring on and off the pitch, if Ron gets any action at all (apart from Harry), if the Death Eaters appear about, if anything comes of Malfoy's business meetings...... find out next time!!!


	8. Chapter Eight: Blood, Sweat and Tears

New reviewers (Mel62, Cniamac, Lilyflower-HP): Mel, thank you ever so much you made me grin like a Cheshire cat after that, but please do not deprive yourself of sleep. Cniamac you are letting Malfoy rather leniently, I think he knew exactly what he was doing and what state she was in. Liliyflower-HP thank you very much and I hope you keep reading.

Old Reviewers (Redaura, Shadow, PractikalMagik, Star): Star suffice to say I'm sure you've picked up its an English thing to revel in defeat, and I am continuing that habit. Snails when am I ever romantic? Please I'd expect you to know me better, but if you castrate Taz... well the consequences would be serious. Forg, pull yourself together young lady, and I am sure that she will think things that I have not the words to describe... except one. Fuck. Shady, I will endeavour to make them drunk again, for the last time I do not have an elephant. 

In Betweenies (Wildchartermage, Haystack, Raine is Changing her Name, Sarkney, IrishSodaBread): You are the ones with the cool names. WildChartermage he's evil, he's teenage and she's willing. Answer your question? Haystack, I am a tease but a loveable one. Honest. I know a couple of others who update like us, but not much on the HP section. Different kind of writers for every section I guess. Raine is Crazy, well I would like to point out to Ron that they do have alcohol. I think I do sometime later I just doubt they call it alcohol. What else is a fire whisky? I'm sure your favourite characters were not doing nothing all night... I promise. Ron's more in this chapter but so are your other two favourites. Sarkney you compliment like a master. Irishsodabread I aim to please. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. 

I got asked to join an RPG via review. Very nice of them to ask but the link was not working. 

I would like to thank everyone who reviewed, and even read the story and not reviewing (*sniff*), because I've never really got this response to a story before. Brilliant to hear from you all even if it's old friends pointing out grammar mistakes, as well as new peeps telling me what they like. Thank you so much. 

Chapter Eight

__

Blood, Sweat and Tears

Hermione arrived down at the Great Hall the following Sunday morning at nine o'clock. Her face held a tinge of pink and her movements were slow as still gripped by sleep. She was wearing the clothes from the night before. Harry and Ron were already eating when she arrived down, both boys holding their heads. They were the only Gryffindor 7th years downstairs. "Hermione." Ron greeted her with a hoarse slow voice. 

She nodded to him before collapsing on the bench opposite him and Harry. Harry's eyes were bloodshot and he was rubbing his temples slowly but he was smiling a small smile. "How did you sleep?" Ron asked slowly nibbling his toast. Hermione froze but both boys were too dead to the world to notice. "Bet it was better than us. Guess where we slept? Slytherin Common room. I can't remember anything from 6pm onwards so I can't even remember how we got there. That alcopol stuff is strong."

Hermione looked at her plate not feeling hungry in the least. She nodded slowly and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Morning 7th years. You're the only ones up. Everyone else is still asleep though only Dean is in his bed." The boys exchanged glances and looked down at their plates. "So what did you have last night? Fred and George developed some new temporary insanity pill or something?"

Harry grimaced, her voice was amazingly high and chirpy. "No. We weren't that bad were we?" Ginny paused for a moment searching his face before bursting out laughing. Harry and Ron's faces fell and they sunk their heads to the table. 

"You can't remember!" She bursts out before giggling some more. Hermione who was sitting next to her groaned. "Well I suppose you weren't." Ginny admonished. "Apart from when Harry tried to chat up the Fat Lady. Oh and Dean kept trying to 'return to his dorm' through the fireplace. Oh and Ron you kissing Harry." Both boys looked up to see if Ginny was laughing. She wasn't until she saw their faces. "You seriously don't remember? Oh Merlin, Ron. You said something about always fancying Lavender. And you seemed to think Harry was Lavender. And yeah, you kissed him. But don't worry Lavender thought it was hysterical. So did Harry and Hermione actually. All you did was stand there and laugh." She said to Harry as she buttered her toast. 

"What about the Slytherins?" Harry asked slowly dreading the answer.

"What about them?" Ginny asked confused biting into her toast.

"When did we go to their Common room?" Ron asked looking down at the table. 

"You went to the Slytherin's Common room?!?" Ginny exclaimed loudly. _Oh dear_, Harry thought and watched the entrance to the Great Hall for other 7th years who might remember. Harry looked up hopefully as Pavarti came into the Great Hall. She looked pale and a little sweaty. However when she caught sight of the food Pavarti turned and ran from the Great Hall, hand over mouth. _Oh dear indeed_.

"Have fun last night Potter?" Harry looked up to see Malfoy and a bunch of his cronies approaching the table. Harry banged his head on the table twice before looking up again. _Dammit still there_. 

"What do you want Malfoy?" He answered rubbing his head. 

"Just to see how you are, darling Potter. You seemed a little.. oh what's the word... drunk last night." The Slytherin King said smirking. Harry saw Lithliya enter the Hall out of the corner of his eye. His lip twitched with the urge to smile. 

"And what is the problem with that Malfoy?" Lithliya was standing right beside Malfoy now. She was looking down at him with those eyes. Same eyes she'd said 'Goodnight' to him last night with... Oh why couldn't he remember? 

"If you wouldn't mind looking at me for a moment instead of the head girl's breasts then maybe I'd tell you." Harry immediately changed his direction of looking, not that he'd been looking at her breasts anyway. Malfoy was not smirking now. "Getting drunk is illegal Potter. You should be-"

"Only under Muggle law, and as you say what is Muggle law to wizards Malfoy." Hermione said fast and she stood up and stormed passed him out Great Hall. Malfoy did not retract his gaze from the spot she had vanished from his vision for ten seconds. 

"You should be more careful about what you do in future Potter." Malfoy finished off slowly and precisely. He then took Lithliya arm and walked her over to the Slytherin table, his cronies swaggering behind. Blaise was there waiting for him. He sat Lithliya down with force before starting on her. "What, exactly, did you do last night?" He asked with venom. Lithliya looked him dead in the eye. 

"What after you chucked me out your bed so you could fuck that helplessly drunk girl?" She reprimanded him with half of his venom. They'd already been through this that morning. Draco had come down at nine to the common room and asked Lithliya, who had been staring into the fire to explain to him what exactly the Gryffindors had been suffering from. Lithliya had seen Hermione run passed her out the Slytherin common room a few minutes before Malfoy had come down.

Malfoy's face remained stoic. "I took care of them. What did you think I'd do? I dragged Weasley onto a setae and watched them for the rest of the night." She glared up at him. 

"And this morning?" A flicker on her face. _No matter what she answered next it would be a lie_. Malfoy watched her. Daring her to tell him a lie. 

"They were gone by seven." She had avoided the question. _Well at least she hadn't dared to lie to him_. "I didn't fuck him if that's what you're thinking." Zabini glanced up at Malfoy watching him. The rest of the Slytherins had mysteriously migrated far enough from the conversation not to hear it. Their migration might have been the picking up to angry vibes, it might have been Crabbe and Goyle staring at them until they moved. Draco moved to sit next to her. 

"I think you are becoming too compassionate towards the Gryffindors. I think you'd do good to remember who your people are." He said whilst moving some of her hair that had fallen onto her face. He was speaking with a whisper. She replied in a whisper.

"So its okay for you to have a Gryffindor lover but not me." She looked steadily into his eyes and he smiled at her genuinely. 

"Yes." He answered simply. She closed her eyes and looked at the ground. "Hush hush child." She was no where near tears but Draco was doing it anyway. His long fingers idly glided through her hair. "I am assured of having my image no matter who I date. My image will not change if I dated McGonagall, unlikely though it maybe." She smiled. "People will always assume I'm using her for sex and that my loyalty will always lie with Slytherin. But you who looks after those she fancies and is well known for having friends in Gryffindor as well as Slytherin might well be looked at as a Gryffindor-wannabe. You will not date Potter. I don't even want you going to the banquet with him." Both she and Draco knew that was not the real reason but it was the superficial reason and it was also her sentencing. No dating anyone outside of Slytherin. 

Draco slipped his arm around her shoulders and turned to face Zabini. "Have you got confirmation yet?" Zabini nodded and looked up as the owls flew in. Malfoy's own Eagle owl and Lithliya's barn owl flew in together. A ditzy owl with a speckled coat dropped the Sunday Prophet on Zabini's plate, collected a few knuts and flew off again. Zabini laughed and threw the paper to Malfoy. 

__

DEATH EATERS DARK ART MATERIALS FOUND!

This morning the Minister for Magic C. Fudge confirmed to the press that, on the information of an anonymous informer, yesterday evening Aurors working for the Ministry of Magic apprehended a treasure throve of Dark Magic books, objects, potion ingredients and other Dark Magic materials. 

'This may only be the start of the war against erm, him, but it is a positive beginning to what we hope will be a final defeat of erm, him. We are sure that this is a great amount of provisions that will be sorely missed by... him and this will affect him greatly. With the kind of selflessness and bravery shown by this informer we can surely bring about the downfall of ... him shortly.' Fudge said this morning. 

The materials were found in the Macnair mansion that was left to the ...

Malfoy laughed loudly joining in Zabini. Lithliya giggled. "'Selflessness and bravery'... Please tell me this wasn't you?" She said smirking. This made the two boys laugh louder. Malfoy chucked the paper down to the other end of the table for the younger years to see. 

"Oh yes, my darling. In revenge for the attack of Dethcous. They got one warning, then we got revenge." Malfoy laughed again before standing up and stretching. "I feel like flying. You coming Zabini?" Zabini nodded. "What about you, Liya?" Draco asked smirking. She rose and followed them out the hall, all of them walking in the fashion of the Slytherin. All passed the day in merriment. 

-*-

The girl pattered along the floor, her socks making little sound against the cold stone slabs. She clung her robe tight about her as she glanced back over her shoulder. The common room was not far now. She glanced over her shoulder again. Something was behind her she knew it. She stopped for a second, listening to the deadly night. The witching hour had passed but there was still a laughing menace to the air.

She heard two light footfalls from behind her. Then another two right beside her. This was not her overactive imagination this was real. She broke into a run. A maniacal laugh came from behind and faster stronger footsteps resounded in her ears. She screamed as her hand was grabbed but it was broken when fingers clamped her mouth down on her jaw, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at nothing visible. 

"Look who it is..." The sneer came full of vengeance, full of hate. She gulped and the book she had been carrying dropped to the floor. It was kicked away. 

"Myth and Fact; a guide to modern magic creatures" another voice read sneering. The girl was trembling, her hands, her eyes unable to keep still. 

"You won't see the light of day if you hurt me!" She told them. A head suddenly appeared infront of her bobbing in the middle of nowhere. 

"I always did prefer the night." The man she recognised as one of the Death Eaters who escaped Azkaban in 4th year. His invisible hand clamped on hers and he dragged her forwards. He threw the robe from round her and chucked his own to the floor. She tried to pull away from him. He pulled her back. She shrieked loudly in the direction of the common room. He smiled at her. He pushed her roughly into the wall. Her head snap loudly against it. He walked right up to her. She could smell the odours on his breath. 

She felt the coldness of a hand touching her leg, trailing up her skirt. She screamed again. They just laughed. She closed her eyes as the hand reached it's target. _Her mind went to her father. Her first memories. Her friends. _Pain. _Harry Potter, saviour of humanity_. Not her saviour. Pain. _Gryffindor winning a Quidditch match_. Pain. But he'd finished. 

"My turn." The gruff voice penetrated her thoughts and she moaned, sobbing. _Her mother. _Worse pain._ Dumbledore giving the end of term speech._ So much pain. _Her first day of Hogwarts_. She cried out. Tears were running down her face. _Her father taking her round his office_. Pain, pain, pain. It ended. 

She had no energy to move. She heard them talking and laughing over her. She didn't hear the spell. It must have been put in the idle conversation at the end as an after thought. She felt it though. Pain up and down her spine, thousand of red-hot burning daggers diving into her body. She screamed with her voice broken. If there had been pain before this was inescapable. This was horrible. Everything in her worst nightmares could not compare to this. 

It went on. Her mind grasped at her memories of happy times but she could not get them. They just kept escaping her by this little bit. By thirty seconds she could no longer think of what she was reaching for only that it would be relief from this pain. By sixty seconds there was no longer thoughts left. Just pain. So much pain. 

-*-

The Gryffindor Quidditch team headed down to breakfast early. It was a Monday morning and head of Quidditch Ron thought it would be an ideal time for practice. What he had not counted on was still being hungover from two nights before and that it was first thing on a Monday morning. Nevertheless he was taking it bravely striding ahead of the team, trying not to let his mind fall back into sleep. 

Harry was trailing at the back wondering how long it would take before the team revolted against this practice. None of them were properly awake. Ginny was walking behind her brother trying to make it look as if someone supported this practice. She walked straight into him. 

Ron's eyes were wide as he looked back at Harry. "Go, all of you. Go back to the common room. NOW!" There was confused mutterings and trying to see past Ron. Ginny, being closest was the one who was able to. She screamed. She made to run past her brother but he stopped her. 

"Go back to the common room NOW." Harry thundered and all the Quidditch players ran back. He closed his eyes and looked deep into Ron's eyes. "How bad?" He asked in a throaty voice. Ron shook his head and brought his sister back in front of him. He had no words to comfort her. She was hysterically screaming and crying. 

Harry walked up to Ron and looked past him. There was a ripped and slightly bloody blouse discarded on the floor. A skirt appeared a couple of feet away, clean apart from some dust. Harry's gaze quickly moved from the next clothing they landed on; girl's ripped underwear. He already had a sick feeling in his stomach. He did not look at the girl. Not yet. "Ginny. Go to Madame Pomfrey. Now. Tell her... Tell her what's happened. Go on now. There's nothing you can do here." 

Harry saw Ginny run down the corridor at top speed. "Should we let her go on her own?" Ron asked quietly. 

"They won't attack now. Not so soon. Not with people beginning to move about." Harry answered closing his eyes and turning back to the scene. When he opened them for the first time he properly looked at the girl. She was only wearing one article of clothing. A sock. At one stage in it's life it had evidently been white but now it was closer to a filthy brown with red spots. For the rest part she was completely naked. 

She was humming to herself, playing with a strand of her hair, which was matted. The tune was not distinguishable and her chattering teeth muffled it. It was doubtful her body shaking was much to do with the cold. Her eyes, what could be seen of them from under her hair, were bloodshot. 

Ron edged forwards going down on his knees. "Hello?" He said stupidly and looked back up at Harry hoping he was better at this type of thing. Harry looked sickened and his gaze was not leaving the girls. Ron looked back at the girl. He suddenly realised why Harry had looked **that** sickened. "Oh my goodness. Harry I think it's Luna." It was only then that he read the words in blood behind the girl's head. **_'Now she really is Loony'_**

"Ronald?" She was looking up at him. Her eyes were wide and her mouth open. She was still shaking violently. "Ronald?" She asked again. Her hand came up and stroked the side of his face, she smiled up at him before collapsing back into a fit of shivering. 

Ron impersonated a fish for a moment whilst he took in what had happened. Harry reacted sooner taking his robes from round his shoulders and covering the girl with them. Ron pulled himself together from his state of abhorrence. "Let's take her to Madame Pomfrey." He said sweeping the girl up in his arms. She moaned when he moved her but soon settled. He swallowed every time he moved her trying to think that it was him putting her in this pain but soon finding his thoughts returned to what she must have been through the night before. 

Hermione joined them halfway through their journey. She had run into a hysterical Ginny and was just coming to find them to see if she could help. She was more of a hindrance. Ginny had been to hysterical to tell her what happened. She was unprepared for the weak shivering girl she saw in Ron's arms. 

Harry dashed forward as Hermione's knees buckled beneath her. He reached underneath her far arm pulling her back up to him. Ron grimaced to him and continued walking passed taking the moaning and shaking Luna to the Hospital Wing. Harry nodded as he passed and looked down at Hermione. Hermione was looking over to where Luna had been when Hermione had first come across them. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was letting out short sharp breaths. She was clasping so hard onto Harry that he was sure there would be bruises there the next day. 

"Hermione, Hermione look at me." He said in a calm collected voice. Hermione looked at him and the shock slowly receded from her eyes. Sorrow took over and Hermione let out gulps of air, tears wetting the front of his robes. Harry put his arms around her as gently as he could and stroked her back, his mind going through the various things he would do to the Death Eater's should he catch them. Her sobs lessened. "Hermione, we have to go tell Dumbledore." _And get the mess in the corridor cordoned_ off, though he was loathe to pass that corridor again let alone expose Hermione to it. 

Hermione nodded and she wiped her eyes looking up at him with what she thought was a brave face. _Luna, someone they knew. Someone so close to Ginny, no wonder the girl had been hysterical._ Hermione sniffed and walked slowly with Harry towards Dumbledore's office. Harry stopped at a turning and placed her near a wall. She looked at him confusedly but he just said "Trust me". And she did. He stood on the other side of the turning and she heard him say various enchantments. 

When he signalled that it was okay to carry on down another separate corridor that led to Dumbledore's office she peered closely at the corridor he'd been working enchantments on. There was the words 'No Entry' with a normal corridor behind, a mirror image of the corridor they were about to take. Hermione guessed what was really behind that corridor. "Come on." Harry said to her taking her arm. It was quarter past seven in the morning. 

They arrived at the office, the staircase already formed as if Dumbledore already knew to expect them. He probably did. They walked up them with trepidation. When at the head of the stairs they saw Dumbledore in his chair looking older than they had ever seen him before. "Professor?" Hermione started forward, breaking away from Harry. Dumbledore looked up giving them a grave smile. 

"I am sorry, Hermione, Harry. I have let the school down." Both were about to interrupt but Dumbledore waved them silent. "I will not resign, do not fear. But these Death Eaters I cannot rid the school of them. And now. Such a tragedy. Such pain for a young mind to take, such a promising one too. I hope that her attachment to Mr Weasley will help her pull back her ... sense."

"Attachment to Mr Weasley?" Harry echoed curiously. He remembered her looking up at Ron and stroking his face. Dumbledore just smiled at Harry. "What can we do?" Harry asked after realising Dumbledore would not answer.

"We must fight them. You will have to do some morale cheering. I suggest that you and Mr Malfoy announce to the school what has occurred," Harry winced, "and I suggest that you attempt to raise spirits. Mr Malfoy as you have seen is quite good at that." Harry sighed and looked at a random portrait over Hermione's head. 

"Miss Granger if you will go and awake Mr Malfoy. Tell him he needs to make a speech with Mr Potter and tell him of what has occurred. Harry if you would be so kind as to go out to the Quidditch pitch, Miss Dremae is there and will also need to be told." Harry and Hermione nodded and rose. Dumbledore sat forward in his chair. "It is curious how often love and hate can cause a bond stronger than any other. Good day Miss Granger, Mr Potter."

-*-

Well that's it for now folkies..... 

Tune in next time to find out: if the serpent unleashes its fangs on those who dare to wake them, if Harry and Draco manage to make a speech, if Luna is going to permanently insane, if the Death Eaters strike again? 


	9. Chapter Nine: Queen of Mime

New Reviewers _(Elvenrarehunter (Holly), Bex Drake, Forestsong)_: Holly, well here you go and I hope it does not disappoint. Bex, I'm so happy you decided to read this. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw your name but I'm really astounded you like my stuff enough to read it in another genre. ForestSong love the name, quite magestic and elegant. Well I hate to tell you but you might have already picked it up... I have a reputation for bloodbaths... ending well could be called an optimistic hope.

Old Reviewers _(Redaura, Star19, PractikalMagik, Raine is Crazy, Haystack)_: Frog I know you overload on slash but calm down. I promise some boy on boy action in the next couple of chapters, and be nice to Malfoy. Haystack I know. I look back at this story and think of characters I missed. Too little of Neville and Crookshanks in this fic. And not gonna tell you cos I hint at various things and you might find out in later chapters. Raine you get the award for longest and craziest review. Of your first paragraph I deciphered little but I will say people die quite quickly in this fic. I know you like Harry but JK always makes sure he's human and get embarrassed like humans do... But I don't think I'm mean to him. And I think it an amazing feat that you managed to insult Luna even though she was the blameless victim. I hardly think she was blaming him more just idly thinking... We'll see what happens to your favourite boys. Star I do believe that it was an awful thing to happen. I hate rape and everything to do with it but it is based on some fact from what I write. Horrible though it is. Hope you continue to read. Snails I hate the idea too. I'm glad I passed the test in something. I want Taz in FULL working order please.

Tweenies _(Irishsodabread, Cniamc, Mel62)_: Sodabread it's very hard making an OC but I think there is a severe lack of strong women in Slytherin so I thought I'd better put one in. You'll find out more about her in this chapter. Niam is a very nice name and the terror will get closer and closer and deadlier and deadlier mwhahahaha cough haha. Mel well thank you very much. There is some Lithliya and Malfoy in this chapter. 

AN_: _I wrote this story before the news of the girls reached my attention. It's a horrible coincidence and not one I'd ever like to happen again. For those that have not heard two Russian girls were kept captive for four years as sex slaves one giving birth to three children in that time. They were 14 and 17 when they were taken. 

The reason which I don't think I fully explain why Malfoy and Harry are doing this speech rather than Lithliya and Harry is down to base fact. Harry is head boy and the saviour of the world ergo he's going to do it. As for Lithliya's substitution those that will not heed Harry (Slytherins) will heed Malfoy over Lithliya. ........

Chapter Nine

Queen of Mime

Hermione slowly passed through the Slytherin common room. Her face was burning with embarrassment at the thought of being in this room again though there were only a couple of lower year students about. She traipsed up the staircase to the furthest up dormitory. She was surprised to see one of Lithliya's own drearily coming down in the opposite direction, but she let it slide from her mind as the prepared to enter the Dragon's lair... again.

She knocked. There was no sound from within so she gently pushed open the door. "Draco?" She called into the murky darkness. There was a groan from the bed. 

"Granger?" A tried voice inquired. She nodded and quickly clicked the door shut. "Is it important?" He asked, she saw a shadow pulling themselves up from the bed. 

"Yeah." Hermione affirmed. She saw the shadow pass to the window where he flung the curtains open. Her skin prickled with heat as she realised he slept naked. She turned away from him, facing the bed. She saw a girl's pyjama top, lying on the opposite pillow to which Draco had been sleeping on, with the bottoms folded underneath. 

Draco appeared to have other ideas than conserve her modesty. He came up beside her and stretched his arms upwards, enjoying her discomfort. Hermione looked away, though did not turn away this time. He laughed. "It is not as if you have never seen me like this before now is it?" He asked heading to the wardrobe and pulling out a pair of black boxers. His entire wardrobe was only black and green as far as she could see. 

"No, but I was drunk then." Hermione said turning away so he could change. Draco however it appeared had no intention of letting her observe decorum. 

"Here sit on the bed whilst I get dressed." He told her smiling jovially at her as he tugged her onto the bed. "Now if I remember rightly you weren't drunk in the morning were you?" Hermione's blush intensified. Draco could not enjoy though as he was in the bathroom. The sounds of running water came from there. Hermione hoped it was the tap.

"I was too hungover and too sleep-ridden to know what I was doing. Don't you want to hear what has happened?" Hermione desperately trying to change the subject, her mind filled with abject misery. It had all been a mistake. A mistake that she could forget about. 

"No, we'll have plenty of time for that latter. Your bodyguards aren't here right now so it's an ideal time. And I think you know exactly what you were doing. Either that or you had dirty dreams for a virgin. I haven't had sex that good... since... now let me think." Draco's voice was spoken through a smirk, Hermione could tell. She felt like she wanted to be sick but with Draco in the bathroom it was not an option. She never knew what she might walk in on. 

His head popped round the door grinning at her. She raised her eyebrow and flicked her head back at the girl's top. His smirk widened. "Oh you have nothing to fear on that account. It's Lithliya's." Hermione's jaw dropped. "Don't worry, dearest Hermione, she just sleeps in here. With the attack on the girl's dormitories I ordered all the girls to sleep in the boys dormitories. I couldn't have the head girl in with the boys, now could I? So she's been in here. I kicked her out on that night. I don't suppose you remember that." 

Hermione did actually. She just never thought about it. Draco continued, he was pulling on a shirt now, ruffling up his pristine hair. "I think you're actually an amazing fuck. And you don't have to worry, for now, you're my number one girl." Hermione blinked for a bit whilst she tried to interpret this statement.

"What?" She gave up trying to make crazy theories and just asked. He was pulling on trousers. 

"You are mine." He was putting on his tie in the mirror. His voice was lacking smirks or sarcasm. He sounded like he was repeating basic charms. "You are mine. I suppose you could say you're my girlfriend. Fuckbuddy. Something like that. But all my attentions, for the moment, are on you, Hermione. Just you."

Hermione stared at him as he finished doing his belt up, sliding his robes about him, pinning his badge on. She finally interrupted the silence by saying "Don't think I'm going to even touch you again!" Her words, though harsh, were no accompanied by any action that could deem them to actually be a threat. Draco who was tying his shoes up next to her on the bed, leant over to her kissed her lightly on the cheek and murmured.

"That's the spirit Granger." He went back to tying his shoe. 

"Don't I get a choice in this?" She turned to face him, still not quite comprehending what was going on. 

"Erm.... no. I suppose you could try to stop me if you wanted. But I don't think you do." Draco finished tying up his other shoe and smirked at her. Hermione stuttered some various and nonsensical sentences before she attempted to slap him (to which he grabbed her arm and raised an eyebrow), and then darted in to kiss him. She had meant to try and push him back with her bodyweight but... something else had taken over. "Now what's that phrase Muggles use? Deja vu?" 

Hermione's face flushed and she put her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. "Luna." She said through her hands. _How could he make her feel so weak? And why was her lust taking over her common sense?_

"Loopy Lovegood?" Draco asked pulling himself off his bed, then grabbing Hermione up with him. 

"Some horrible people," She glared at Draco, who looked around himself for people she could be glaring at, "Call her Loony Lovegood." Hermione suddenly blinked back tears and looked towards the window, not wishing to cry infront of him. 

Draco counted to three then reached deep down inside himself and pulled up the sensitive side his mother had once tried to educate. It was a very small and very limited part of him but when it came to hysterical women, it worked wonders... for his larger more prominent part that was connected to his manhood that is. "What's happened?" He asked, his arms looping round her, one across her stomach the other across her shoulders. He felt a shudder pass through her before one of her hands came to rest across his. 

"The Death Eaters..." She trailed off. Draco's mind went into hyper alert though he was careful to keep it out of his body language and voice. "They tortured her." Hermione choked this out, before bursting into a fit of tears. Draco lightly loosened his hold then walked round to face her. He then gently and lightly brushing against her skin pulled her into a hug. "It's not fair." She beat her fists against his chest, before laying her face against it and slipping her arms around his torso. _She is a shortarse_, Draco decided in the back of his mind.

"What exactly did they do Hermione?" He asked, stroking the back of her head and playing idly with her hair. His other arm was playing circles on her lower back. Her sobs were gradually tuning into the same pace as his gentle circles.

"I think they raped her and but the.... curse on her. The unforgivable. And they did it so badly she's not able to speak properly. I think she's lost her sanity." Draco's arms tensed. He couldn't help it. The bastards. The bastards. After all he'd said to them. By all the purebloods on this earth there would be hell to pay. She may not have been Slytherin or on any list but she was still in the school. Did they not think he would carry through his threat? Did they not think that he would take such a revenge equal to and out do their own?

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione." He soothed her whilst the anger was growing within him every second. He would show them he was one to fear. "Shhh. She'll have the best of medical care. And she has you to keep an eye out for her. You were always nice to her weren't you? Shhh. We'll look after you. She'll be better soon." _Any bullshit to calm you down_. 

"You have to make a speech. With Harry. To the school. To announce it. You have to make everybody know it's going to be alright." Hermione told him from his shirt. He nodded and scooped her up so she was looking into his eyes. 

"Right?" He asked her. She wiped her tears away and smiled at him. A warm smile. Like she gave Potter or Weasel. He put her down hastily. Affection was not something Draco liked to be felt for him. It made him weaker. "Let's go. Great Hall for breakfast and speech." 

--

Harry saw her over the great distance. She was sitting on the Slytherin Quidditch stand dead centre towards the back. "Accio Firebolt." He said his mind on the girl not the broom. He wondered if he said 'Accio Lithliya' if she would come... His broom jarred his hand that he'd absently been holding out waiting for it to arrive. He grabbed the broom and flew up to the stand. She was looking at him as he flew closer. He suddenly wondered if he'd remembered to brush his teeth that morning. _Too late now_. 

"Good morning, head boy." Lithliya greeted him, her blue blue eyes looking right into him. He smiled careful not to show any teeth. She cocked an eyebrow and he gave up on that scheme. "I was hoping to see you play. But your team never showed up. Nor did you until now." Harry climbed awkwardly down from his broom, dropping onto the seats from a height of about a foot. He pulled his broom down after him. 

"There's been a.... another attack." He said quietly looking out into the forest. He was afraid of Lithliya's response. He didn't think she'd be like Cho was and burst into tears, but he didn't think she'd be like Hermione and collapse. Well she was already sitting down which was a good thing. 

"Who?" Harry looked up sharply. The voice was cool and calm, the speaker looking out onto the forest as he had been. She didn't seem that upset.

"Luna Lovegood. Some people called her Loony Lovegood, but she was a nice person." Harry said bitterly. He had thought her mad too. It seemed cruel now she lay gibbering in the hospital wing. 

"Don't call her a nice person." Harry was about to take offence when Lithliya continued. "Everybody can be called a nice person. It says very little about them except they can be perceived as being of a good temperament. The head of Hogwarts during the time of the Chamber of Secret's first opening called Tom Riddle 'A nice person'." Harry looked to the floor and rubbed his hands. 

"Yeah, well. She was a happy, lively, determined, clever, fun girl." Harry said slightly frustrated of Lithliya's detachment. He may not have wanted tears but if that was what it took. 

"You speak of her as if she were dead." He could feel Lithliya's gaze burning holes in his head. 

"She might wish she was. The Death Eaters raped and tortured her." Harry hoped to get more of a reaction. He felt a shudder pass through the thick robes from her. He did not think it was the autumn chill. Relief crept in. "She hasn't managed to say much since. She's lost her sanity. I'm not sure they'll be able to get it back. She... as a horrible joke the bastards put 'Now she's really Loony' in her blood above her." His voice was cracking and he stared determinedly at the forest. _Big boys don't cry_. 

"That is a horrible fate, Mr Potter." Lithliya's voice was cold still. But she had not seen it. She was not there. A pause passed. "You are upset because you could not save her. You think, because it is your job to end the regime of the Dark Lord, that it is your duty to save all who he decrees it fine to kill, torture and maim." 

"Don't tell me what I think!" Harry shouted at her standing up, towering over her. She looked up at him with her blue blue eyes. She blinked, when her lids opened again, her eyes were on the floor. "I'm sorry. We have to go in. I've got to make a speech. With Malfoy. To the rest of the school. Come on."

Lithliya did not move. "Sit Harry. You'd better clear your head before you go in." She turned away from him looking up towards the castle. He stood debating with himself for a minute before sitting down heavily. He did not look at her. "He's not the first, Voldemort. Not the first to want the complete obliteration of an entire race of people."

"Hitler." Harry answered, wanting to show he had knowledge other than about Quidditch. This outweighed the childish anger telling him not to speak to her again and sulk instead.

"Not just him. But I suppose he was the most successful. Voldemort can only dream of wiping out 11million people. So far at least. The killing curse can kill up to thirteen at the moment as long as there is enough hatred in it. Machine guns or gas chambers kill as many as you want up until the trigger is released no matter what mood you are in. In some ways Muggles are more advanced than us." Lithliya commented, idly playing with a bit of hair left out of her ponytail for fashion sake. 

"Not in a good way. At least not there." Harry said darkly wondering how anybody would survive if Voldemort got the magic equivalent of a machine gun. The thought was too dark for him to contemplate for long. "How do you know all this stuff. You're in Slytherin. And I doubt they teach much of that in Muggle Studies which besides I doubt you do."

Lithliya smiled grimly at the forest. Harry studied her face as she spoke. "I don't do Muggle Studies because I don't need to. My father was very into Dark Arts, being a pureblood. He was French. My mother was too. She was of another pureblood family. She was weak. She let my father do what he wanted." He suddenly realised why she might have shivered when he mentioned rape. "Barely ever standing up to him. I was the youngest of six, four boys, two girls." 

"17 years ago Voldemort disappeared. My father moved my family to England in hopes of resurrecting such a 'great hero'. I was born here a year after Voldemort died. My father and brothers kept up their contacts in France and were constantly coming and going for the first six years of my life. But the French authorities caught my father. My brothers attempted a rescue. My father was executed along with two of my brothers. The other two have served their time and since disappeared into the ranks of the Dark Lord."

"My mother could not live without my father. She couldn't even die properly without my father. The rope she tried to hang herself with snapped. In desperation she broke her wand and moved six year old me and her into the Muggle world. My older sister had run off with a pureblood of respectable birth. Hence my knowledge of Muggle life. I spent four years in a Muggle school. She ripped up the letter that congratulated me on my invitation to join Hogwarts." 

Harry chuckled dryly. "We have something in common then." Lithliya smiled back at him, then her eyes drifted, going to the sky. 

"I packed my things and left. I took my father's key for Gringotts and stayed in Diagon alley for the remainder of the summer. I go back to the Muggle world every summer to catch up on what I have missed. I like to know." Lithliya finished idly playing with a little bit of fluff that she had caught from the non-existent breeze. 

"You voluntarily join the Muggle world?" Harry asked curiously. 

"We may like to think ourselves superior, Potter, but they're far more of them than of us. Their saying is very true; knowledge is power." She stood, rubbing her arms down. "We'd better be going in. Everyone will be eating breakfast now." 

Harry stopped her. His hand caught her arm and pulled the sleeve of her robe up from her elbow to her shoulder. He'd noticed a black thing when she was rubbing. She pulled away from him, looking at him carefully. "Let's go Potter." He looked dead back at her. 

"What is that?" _It couldn't be a Dark Mark. They were on the forearm. It had to be something else._

"It's not a Dark Mark if that's what you're thinking." Lithliya replied coldly. The tension between them was back. Harry took her arm, she tried to pull back, he pulled her forwards roughly. Her other arm reached for her wand, he grabbed her other arm quickly

"If it's not a Dark Mark why won't you show it to me?" Harry asked, terrified it was. His heart was beating loudly in his head. 

"Because it's personal." She retorted. He scoffed and pulled her right arm, the one with the dark thing on into the grip of his right hand, which also held her other arm. With his free hand he pulled up her robe. She wrenched backwards, he yanked her forwards. They were centimetres away from each other. 

He looked at the tattoo. "Oh." Was all he could say.

--

Lithliya and Harry walked into the Great Hall together. Harry's face was a peach colour, his hair deranged by the early morning breeze. His school robes still hung upon his frame as they had that morning, but they seemed to flow off him better. His stride was longer and faster, throwing out a trail of black behind him. His head was high and his gaze determined. He located Hermione and Malfoy loitering by the staff's table. He glanced back at Lithliya who was not quite keeping up with his fast pace. 

"You ready?" He asked, not really knowing why he was asking. He received no response. He gazed at the Gryffindor table, searching for Ron. There was no flaming red hair at the Gryffindor table. He reverted back to the task at hand, nodding to Draco and hugging Hermione as soon as he reached her. She held him tighter than she would under normal circumstances. He put it down to seeing Luna. "Gryffindors, Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws" 

With his hail only a few close to him looked up. He had spoken only slightly louder than his normal speaking tones. However with the few that looked up next to them more looked up. Like a disease it spread until the whole hall was silent and watching him. Malfoy moved next to him. "There's been a terrible... incident." Malfoy sneered. All eating stopped, all the students stopped to look at Harry and Malfoy. "The Death Eaters have taken revenge upon our school." Gasps and wide eyes followed this statement.

Harry looked at Malfoy. "Revenge for what?" He asked quietly. Malfoy did not answer. "A student was violently and maliciously attacked last night. Luna Lovegood of Ravenclaw." A ripple of horror passed through the hall, squeals and cries of sorrow and terror were carried along through the many corridors of Hogwarts. "She was alone and disobeying curfew. Two things than ultimately condemned her." 

Malfoy interrupted. "We cannot protect ourselves if you do not obey us." Sobs from the Ravenclaw table enlightened this pause.

Harry continued. "But this is what we always knew would happen. We always knew we would lose people; it is the way of war. But there is a way for you all to fight these two Death Eaters. The passwords change daily but never tell your friend the password in the corridor; they can't get into your common rooms at the moment because you've all been so careful." Harry tried to raise their terrified spirits. 

"If you ever feel anything pass you by that you do not see, and you are in a large group, kick it. If it yelps, curse it to oblivion." Laughs came from the Slytherin table as Malfoy spoke. Malfoy winked out of the corner of his eye at Harry. Harry tried to hide his grimace. 

"Let go of old rivalries. We are all fighting the same enemy. Make sure that if you ever land up in a life or death situation everyone here will be willing to watch your back." Harry turned and smiled at Malfoy. "Is that everything?" He asked. Malfoy looked bored and walked swiftly over to the Slytherin table. Lithliya followed him without a word. 

Lithliya sat on the edge of the table nibbling at a bit of bread as she watched Harry and Hermione disappear from the hall. "What did you talk about?" Draco asked as he sat down to a full English Breakfast. Lithliya crinkled her nose at the smell of sausages. 

"He saw my tattoo." Draco looked up mildly interested. 

"Did he know what it was?" He asked cutting up some bacon and dipping it into his egg.

"I don't think so." Her reply came distantly. She was staring up at the owls flooding into the hall. Malfoy's eagle owl swooped down. He cursed and licked his fingers before removing the parchment. The owl nipped his ear before flying off again. Lithliya saw out of the corner of her eye Draco checking the seal and sliding it into his robe. Lithliya's own owl landed on her shoulder. She removed the parchment and the owl flew off. She did not check the seal before putting it away. "I told him about my family." 

At this Malfoy's food came flying out his mouth. "What?" He said standing up. The entire hall, except the Slytherins, was staring at him. The Slytherins had more sense than to stare when Malfoy got mad.

"The edited and redone version of my family." Lithliya said calmly back on her bread.

"Bloody hell women you could have said that first." He moaned, sitting down and swearing under his breath. "I though you'd lost your nut then. He'd probably have you sent to Azkaban if you had told him let alone never even look at you again..." With this Draco trailed off in thought. Lithliya whacked his shoulder and he winked up at her. "So you do like him. Well if so much as lays a finger on you, he'll on a Portkey to have his little battle with Voldemort sooner than expected." 

Lithliya cocked an eyebrow out him. "You don't think I'm being serious?" He asked smirking. "I am, Lithliya Dremae-Riddle, I am." 

--

dum dum dum dummmm.... _hem hem_. So yeah. Please Review! PLEASE!!!!! PERDY WERDY PLEASE? For lil old me?

Next time find out: if Malfoy discovers its not just a finger Harry's laid on Lithilya, if Harry discovers Lithliya's deceived him, if Luna gets better, if anyone else is attacked, if the world ends? 


	10. Chapter Ten: Deeds of Justice

**Dedicated to The Real Slim Shady for coming back & to Snails for never leaving**

**Old Reviewers **_(Practikal Magik, Shadow, Star, Raine is Crazy, Wildchartermage)_: Snails, You are a damn good sister, and do you really think Mr Awkward Potter fucked Ms Cool Dremae? Raine I do like the Malfunction. Very clever.You are really Harry obsessed. I hope I am portraying him right for you and that if I do anything OC for you that you won't lynch me. I called it _Queen of Mime_ because Lithliya was talking lots but saying nothing. Wildchartermage yes Sir! Star I'm glad you liked it. Thank you for your review. Shady she is a nice person so being cruel to him is not something she would think of.

**New Reviewers **_(Amanda, Trixie )_: Amanda, I am very happy you like it. I hope you continue to like it all the way through. Trixie Draco being out of character is the point of the story really. That he has a new view of life. Lithliya is a MS in a way suppose but I don't think she is as bad as the majority... She'd have to be American to be a proper MS I should think. As for being as clever as Hermione, I think Hermione is quite smart but she's made to be the best by studying so hard, and Lithliya having a natural intelligence would be able to be as intelligent if she studied. Thanks for your time.

**Tweenies**_ (Mel62, cniamc, Elvenrarehunter, Bex Drake,IrishSodaBread, Forestsong)_: Mel very happy you like it. Hope this meets your expectations. Cniamc I always find that the more evil the boy is the more fun it is to write.. which usually means I end up with pretty brutal stories.... But they are always more fun. Wrong on that account darling, try again. Holly, Roger! Will do! Bex I think he's 2D in the books and that either JK has the intention of leaving him 2D or will develop him into something far more interesting. I hope the later. You know me better than that. I wouldn't feed you it on a plate. Soda love the language, very wikid you hop hipping mofo. He's nasty... as I explain above they're always more interesting to write... Guys have always put women as objects... but in return we see them as fat pasties or idiots....Forestsong, I hope this meets your expectations and that you are amused with this.

**A word to the wise**: I do like firstly bloodbaths (as you will see) and also plot twists. Being Voldemort's daughter might just be too easy. Another side note, you all still weren't on Draco's side when he was being as nice as he gets!!

**Chapter Ten**

_Deeds of Justice_  
  
Harry climbed into the Gryffindor common room. It was only eight o'clock but already the sky outside was black and cold and had been for sometime. Winter had travelled in whilst everyone was looking the other way. He shivered and reminded himself to put his jumper on under his robes tomorrow. "Harry." A weary greeting floated across the common room. It was Ron. He was stretched out over a chair covering every inch of it. A first year next to him had tried to do the same but his little body could not even each both sides of the armchair at once. Ron did not seem to have noticed. It seemed like he had not noticed anything for a while, his expression was dazed and he looked immensely tired.  
  
"Hey Ron. You didn't turn up for Quidditch practice." Ron's face squinted.  
  
"Oh sorry Harry. I forgot. And after I made you all get up this morning. Bollocks. I'll have to apologise to everyone." Harry shrugged and sat down in a chair opposite him, letting all the tension out.  
  
"Where were you?" Harry asked as he loosened his tie. No matter what Ron had been doing Harry doubted it would be a touch on him. Straight after a full day of lessons and the problems of the morning he'd run into Peeves. Peeves had been using Dungbombs to pelt a group of 1st and 2nd year Hufflepuffs. Merlin knows where Peeves had got them from. Harry had been duty bound to see him off, resulting in himself smelling of horrible things. He had had about five minutes to shower before heading off to Quidditch practice to which the captain, Ron, did not turn up for. Ginny had come but she'd left halfway through tears streaming down her face.  
  
"I've been with Luna all day. When I brought her in this morning she wouldn't let me leave. She just went into a fit every time I went to leave. Dumbledore gave me the day off lessons. I left when she fell asleep this afternoon. She looked awful, Harry." Harry sighed. He'd almost forgotten about Luna. _Almost._ He'd pushed her too the back of his mind so he wouldn't have to see that bent over, shuddering, pathetic form over and over again in his mind.  
  
"We've got a prefects meeting tonight. I think we'll been playing Truth or Dare again afterwards. It'll be a good way to make us feel better. I think we need it." Harry said. His eyes were fixed on the fire, and he remembered Sirius's head appearing there. He rubbed his eyes and turned his gaze to Ron.  
  
"Yeah. I think we do. Where's Hermione?" Ron asked. He was perking up a bit.  
  
"Don't know. She knows about the prefect meeting though." Harry answered. "We'd better get along there." Ron nodded.  
  
They met the early arrivers outside the room. Hannah Abbot, the other two female Hufflepuff prefects and the Ravenclaw prefects. They were all embarrassed and keenly looking about for someone. When they saw Harry they pounced. "Harry! We can't get in." Harry blinked and hurried his pace up.  
  
"Why?" He asked reaching the edge of the group.  
  
"The knights. They aren't listening to us. They're too busy fighting... without any armour on." Giggles passed through the girls. The boys were talking in voices as low as they could get them to the back of the group, pointedly ignoring the knights.  
  
"Hungarian Horntails." Harry said quietly to the picture. Both knights, who were naked _wrestling_ on the ground, ignored him. "Excuse me?" He said louder. "OI" He said shaking the picture slightly. The knights stopped, looked at the spectators agitatedly and asked:  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Hungarian Horntails." The portrait swung open and the knights resumed with cries of 'pain'. The prefects hurriedly went inside. Harry stood in the doorway preventing it from closing for he did not wish to disturb the portrait again.  
  
The meeting was over shortly. Harry could give no more information than they already had and the younger year prefects passed back to their common rooms swiftly. They were left again with only the 7th year prefects and heads.  
  
Lithliya sat upon the floor, her eyes slightly withdrawn and looking to the floor. Her knees were drawn up in front of her and her arms lay atop them cradling her head. She leant on a sofa over which Draco was spread like a lion. Proud, quiet and deadly. Next to Lithliya, Hermione sat on the floor as well. Next to her grudgingly were Ron and Harry who had elected to share a sofa, though keeping at opposite ends. The rest of the circle was on various couches and armchairs.  
  
"Whose turn was it last?" Hannah asked.  
  
Harry frowned trying to remember. His frown increased when he eventually did. "Hermione's. She had a dare from Malfoy to go into the corner." He glared at Malfoy who smirked and flicked his fingers out. Hermione blushed deeply. The rest of the groups muffled laughter and remembrances died as they waited for Hermione.  
  
"Malfoy." She did not look at him as he spoke.  
  
"Dare" He replied forcefully. She could feel his eyes burning into her skull. She could feel Harry's and Ron's as well. She knew they'd be doubting her sanity. Revenge will be sweet.  
  
"Kiss, with tongues, Harry." Silence. **Silence.** _Silence._  
  
"I think I'm going to have to kill you." Harry's voice quietly in her ears. She closed her eyes and secreted a smile. They both stood up. The males turned away from the two boys in the centre of the room.  
  
"Minimum ten seconds!" Padma called out. Hermione was annoyed that Draco was showing no emotion and had got up with no nagging for this dare. She doubted however that he was feeling no emotion and that this would go unpunished. They stood about a foot away from each other and leant in. Harry kept his eyes on the far wall just as their lips met. Draco was looking dead at Hermione. "Tongues!!" Padma reminded them. Draco winked at Hermione.  
  
"Shut up, shut up." Justin said from across the room, where he was staring at a wall. "We don't want commentary." The girls giggled. The two boys broke apart. Malfoy wiped his mouth and spat into the fire before coming to sit down. Harry spent a good two minutes choking whilst the girls wiped tears from their eyes and the boys reprimanded them.  
  
"Truth or dare, Harry." Malfoy asked stretching back onto the couch. Harry eyed him carefully. He debated in his mind carefully which to pick. In the end he chose with regrets.  
  
"Dare." Laughter flitted from one girl to the next. Draco hushed them with a hand movement.  
  
"Put you hand down Hannah's pants. And stroke." Hannah squealed. Hermione and Lithliya exchanged a sardonic glanced. Harry smirked at Malfoy. He stood up and held a hand out to Hannah who was blushing so profusely she matched Harry's Weasley originated jumper. "And no you're not allowed in that darkened corner, Potter." Malfoy sneered as Harry was about to lead Hannah there.  
  
Harry gaped at Malfoy before shaking his head in disgust. He turned back to Hannah who was looking horrified. Harry rapped his arms around her taking her into a hug. His arms massaged her body, slipping under her jumper. She moaned slightly and a slight cheer arose from the boys. "You can tell which genders set the dares." Hermione commented in a low voice to Lithliya. Lithliya nodded but her eyes never left Harry. Hermione smiled to herself.  
  
Harry's hand disappeared from sight. Hannah moaned again. Harry was planting kisses down her neck, his black hair standing out against her skin. Hannah let out a louder moan and breathed heavily before Harry's hand came back into view and the men let out a little round of applause. They broke apart ever so slowly, Hannah flushed ever so dark. She went back to her place fast and hid herself in Padma's jumper.  
  
Harry mimicked the Malfoy smirk before retreating to his seat, sitting with his legs far apart. "Lithliya. Truth or Dare?" He asked. People turned to look at the Slytherin for the first time. She looked up at him with doe eyes.  
  
"Truth, if you'd be so kind." She answered never taking her eyes of him.  
  
"Have you ever kissed or done more, with Malfoy?" He asked, his eyes gleaming. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were talking quietly. Malfoy shut them up with a glance. Only four people understood the significance of what Harry had asked. Only four people in that room knew of the relationship, or lack of, between the two.  
  
"Never." Her answer was quick and quiet. Her gaze held his for a second longer than it should have done before moving to Malfoy's. A silent moment passed between the two and Lithliya nodded. "Hermione." Lithliya said quietly. "Truth or Dare?"  
  
"Dare." Hermione was looking at Lithliya with a warning in her eyes. Lithliya just smiled.  
  
"Return the favour that Malfoy gave you at the end of our last session. That corner, five minutes. We'll be waiting." Giggles passed round the room. Ron clapped Hermione on the shoulder as a good luck. Harry was looking at her apprehensively.  
  
"Better make it a quick five minutes. We'd better be back at our common rooms by nine." The group groaned but Harry waved them off. He nodded to Hermione who followed Malfoy out of the circle.  
  
"Do you have the courage to return the favour I did to you?" Draco asked once they were in the seclusion of the corner. Hermione looked up at him, her face angry. "Brave old Gryffindor." He quietly said leaning into her face and brushing her hair off her face. "Come on then darling. I don't have all day."  
  
Hermione closed her eyes. She gathered all her rational thoughts and threw them to a desolate part of her mind. She opened her mind to all banned and horrible thoughts about the man who had despised and made her life hell for the first six years of Hogwarts. She moved her mouth up to his, so they were centimetres away. His breath tickled her face. She moved the extra centimetres. She felt his soft supple lips on hers, a gentle need as he pressed her lips.  
  
As a person Draco was deadly. As a lover he was even more so. He was tender but there was always that lurking feel of the dark. Draco had an edge that made him dangerous, that made him powerful and yet so beautiful too. _Graceful, elegant, strong.  
_  
_Well I suppose I could try and enjoy this dare_, Hermione's thought as he nibbled her lower lip. She brought her arms under his robes to his shirt beneath and then under that to his skin. She could feel the muscles of his stomach contract as her hands glided over them. _He did have a weakness. _She felt him breath out deeply as she put tension then release on his back. She felt him bite down on her lip when her hands strayed too near his armpits. _The Dragon really was ticklish._  
  
She kept one hand lightly gliding over his back whilst the other sought to repay his 'favour'. She pulled away a little at his belt. She undid it. The trousers were pretty loose with that gone. She felt him grin as she intensified the kiss. Her hand dipped into his trousers. She played idly with what she found there. She found it amusing to that she could make the Slytherin King gasp and feel pain with such ease.  
  
But after only thirty seconds of this she found that the Slytherin King was not going to let her get away with her little pleasure. His arms snaked around her waist, dipping immediately into her trousers. She gasped and pulled away. "Hey. That's not what I did. You're not suppose to move." His only response was to pull her back and dip his hand again. She cried out. He smiled before returning his lips to hers.  
  
"Thirty seconds!" The call came from another world. They pulled apart a little. Their noses bumped, their eyes studied each other's faces in the far off fire flow.  
  
"Why me?" She whispered into his lips so they touch as she spoke.  
  
"A final act of defiance against my father." His answer came as the call for time up ran. He kissed her lightly before walking back over to the circle doing up his belt up at the same time. Hermione stayed there. She did not move until Harry came over to her and hugged her and draped an arm around her and led her to his dormitory.  
  
_He did not like her particularly. Just a good way to take revenge on his father. Oh Merlin... that hurt. But why? She did not like Malfoy. She would not let herself fall for Draco. For Malfoy. No. Hermione Granger would fall in love with someone who was intelligent and worthy of her. She was not so silly as to fall for a worthless person such as Draco Malfoy, Slytherin King..  
_  
Even Harry could not stop the tears that night.  
  
--  
  
Draco left Lithliya reading in front of the fire that night. His mind was active, even if he had been planning to sleep he knew he would not have been able to. The rushed rate of his heart had started with the news that the Death Eaters had taken revenge. It had only been worsened by Hermione's straying hands. He had no doubt she was untouched but he also had no doubt she would not remain that way for long.  
  
He jammed his door open noisy, already throwing down his tie. His actions came to an abrupt halt when he saw something moving on his bed. Was Pansy really that desperate? The movements stopped as his presence was recognised. A shaggy brown head appeared followed by a naked male form. Malfoy was surprised. It took a lot to startle the Slytherin King, but this took the cake.  
  
Well it didn't. What took the cake was that naked male form that rose up behind it. A skinhead bulky boy. Two naked boys having sex on his bed. I'm hallucinating. He blinked hoping they'd vanish. They didn't. They just stood there. Naked. _By his bed. With boners. Naked. Bed. Boners._  
  
Malfoy walked out the room. There was a scampering and hushed whispers before the boys ran out darting past him like hail stones. Malfoy shuddered to himself before heading into the room. He heard footsteps on the stairs and ignored them. He muttered a couple of spell under his breath to freshen it and clean the sheets.  
  
"Why were there two messily dressed, flushed boys running down from your room." Blaise's voice drawled through the room.  
  
"Bastards thought my room would be good for a shag." Malfoy swore pulling his robes off and chucking them on the bed. Although he had freshened the room he still opened the window. He mussed his hair up by only undoing the top button before pulling his shirt over his head. A few strands of white blonde hair fell on his face.  
  
"How lovely. You'd better start locking your door." Zabini said leaning on the doorframe his eyes on the star spattered sky. Malfoy's eyes glanced over Zabini. Zabini was wearing long black robes matching his hair. All other clothes he wore were consumed by the black cloak. "Do you know who either of those boys are?" Malfoy shook his head taking out a black shirt and jumper. "One of them, Johnny Nott is a nephew to Macnair as well as son to the Death Eater Nott." Malfoy slowed down his changing as he thought.  
  
"He was in here looking for something then and got distracted. 4th years, yes?" Malfoy pulled on his own black robe. None of his other robes could be seen. He headed to his ensuite after he received a nod from Zabini. "Well he wouldn't have found anything. Who did we say was in charge of 4th years?"  
  
"Me." Zabini's voice said from by the door. Malfoy heard footsteps a second later and turned round from the bathroom to see Zabini looking out the window. "There's two people sneaking about down there." He said quietly, his eyes fixed on them.  
  
"It's the Aurors. Stupid idiot in charge thinks that the Death Eaters sneak in every night so they spend half their time patrolling outside." Malfoy turned round, flicking his wand into his pocket. His hair was now a deep never ending black. "Take the next opportunity that you can and examine the palms of their hands. Where they were cut on the night we vowed as Slytherins. If they have betrayed us their scars will be constantly bleeding. Unless I directly forgive them they will eventually bleed to death, if they have betrayed us."  
  
Zabini was smirking at him and Malfoy returned it. Two heavy treads on the stairs. "Accio Shadowfire." Malfoy called softly through the night air. His broom took a minute to arrive to him. Crabbe and Goyle appeared at the doorway with their brooms. Zabini hurriedly called for his. "Lets go." Malfoy said quietly. He pulled his hood over his head and instantly he became nothing.  
  
The black climbed onto the broom, looking back once to check all were flowing him. He nodded to the black that was Zabini, who like himself, Crabbe and Goyle had raised his hood. They flew out the window.  
  
--  
  
An owl hooted softly in the garden of the trees. Malfoy only glanced up to it once before carrying on down the little garden path. It was a small garden of ample greenary and tender loving care. A rural wooden fence procured the house from unfriendly neighbours although the house was a five minutes walk from anywhere else. In the far corner a shed housed a pile of discarded children's toys gathering dust.  
  
Malfoy walked over some dainty pink and yellow plants to stand by Zabini. "Fine work." He commented admiring the script of the 7th year Slytherin. There were two 'ooffs' from behind the boys and they both looked back. Zabini sniggered and went back to his work hastily. Malfoy walked back to the bodies. Crabbe and Goyle were grinning at him with anticipation. "Well done." He rewarded them and their grins grew bigger. "But put your fucking hoods up you great oafs."  
  
"But there's no one 'ere!" Protested Goyle. Malfoy fixed his gaze under the hood on him and they hastily obeyed. Malfoy kicked the bodies and moved them how he wanted them. It amazed him that there was still so much blood to come out of them. He positioned it so the man was lying out as if he had been begging before he died and the woman was staring with an expression of fear at the man.  
  
Through her bloody face the words 'I never knew he was a Death Eater' could still be seen engraved on her skin.  
  
There was a snake's hiss. Malfoy's hand went to his neck and he pulled out a long silver chain. A dragon was on the end breathing fangs long and pointed. On its belly the silver melted and formed the words **'_time is up'_**. It had been his fifteenth birthday present from his mother; a warning device that gave him advice. It was not always right but it was a good indicator for when like this incidence he needed to be warned when he might be discovered or when there was someone not to trust.  
  
He turned to the artist. "Done?" He called softly through the air, tucking the chain back inside his shirt and robes. The artist nodded and stepped back to admire his work, careful to squash a child's model goblin in the soil. He joined the others on the lawn. "Accio Shadowfire." Malfoy said, his broom flying to him from the side of the house. He looked round once more before nodding and climbing onto his broom. Malfoy disappeared into the darkened sky. The others soon followed vanishing into a never-ending blackness that engulfed the world whole.  
  
Behind them they left the bodies. Two upon the lawn, to be seen from the kitchen where behind them could be clearly seen the words;  
  
**Their blood began this  
  
Your blood will end this**  
  
The kitchen, living room, dining room, playroom were all free from blood. Upstairs even where the children now slept an eternal sleep there was no blood. Their bedrooms, free now from even the sound of breathing, the bathroom, their parents bedroom all same as when they had fell asleep the night before. Wiped clean of their parent's tortured cries.  
  
Only the study, in which the Ministry worker and spy of Voldemort worked, was their blood. All around the walls in his blood and the blood of his wife were his words he had screamed that night. All around the walls in his blood and the blood of his wife. All around the walls the words he'd screamed. All around the walls in the blood. All around the walls.  
  
_Don't hurt them please. Mudblood scum, deserve to die. The Dark Lord sent me this mission, how could I refuse? No, please, I beg you. Muggles so stupid they cannot see another world in front of their eyes. Deserve what the master gives them. You traitor. Ministry are fumbling in the dark. Take my life instead. Never catch anyone. You'll be punished for this. How could you kill a helpless baby? Traitor. I am not a coward. Not my children.. I was sent to infiltrate the Aurors and find out what they knew. He'll get you for this. You think you're clever. Ministry doesn't know anything. Stupid they couldn't see it if we wore nametags. Please. Please. PLEASE  
_  
--  
  
Lovely wasn't it? Evil little power crazy people. Anyway Review!!!!!!!!!! REVIEW!!!! PLEASE! Six chapters left.  
  
**Next time find out:** if Death Eaters take revenge, if Harry figures out who did these murders, if Hermione finds out and what will she do, if Luna comes out her stupor?


	11. Chapter Eleven: Together never Forever

**Dedicated to the Crazy Reviewer_ (Raine is Crazy)_ and Wildchartermage for being my first non-friend reviewer.**

**Oldies 1**_(Bex Drake, ElevenRareHunter, Cniamc, Raine is Crazy, Haystack)_: Bex I'm glad you think I'm keeping them in character, I'm sorry I confused you but hopefully it'll all be clear eventually. Holly I hope you find out soon enough for your liking and very glad you liked it. Naim I'm sorry I have disturbed you, I hope you find happiness in this slightly less bloody chapter. Raine, methinks you got a tad confused and I think you misread something... they weren't muggleborns and Malfoy posse killed them. In all my years doing karate I have never found a fatal karate chop but I will ask my sensei and discover the truth. Haystack I have my last day of school ever tomorrow!!! Trust me it's very scary leaving it! Appeciate before the real world comes in!

**Oldies 2**_( Irishsodabread, Star, Shadders, Forestsong, Mel62)_: Irishy I am very annoyed at you. sniffs How dare you say that a white english girl cannot be in wid de hard hommies? And if you like J Lopez I might just have to stop talking to you! Star you are a star. Isn't it scary being the end of school isn't it? very scared Last day tomorrow! Shady, You need some antivirus software young lady! And converting you into a Draco fan is interesting cos no one else likes him. Apart form moi. Foresty Sorry I confuzed ya but I'm sure you'll know what the hell's going on in a couple of chapter's time. Mel Only five chapters now. And what is wrong with school girls? I am one until friday..... You are believing Draco... I doubt he has scruples about lying. I'm glad you like the characters relationship... I often find relationship in fics very clear cut... which with my cynical view of human nature is not something I always agree with.

**Newie** _(hotpinkflamingo)_: Another interesting name! I hope you continue to enjoy and that you ikeep reading! I will attempt to read your story sometime.... exams coming up.. but yes. I will endevour to!

**AN**: I am sorry for the delay, my grandmother came to stay and took my room. However with some of the reviews making offensive comments _mentioning no names **Irishsodabread**_ (sniffs) I think I could be justified. Nothing wrong with white english girls. As I have mentioned in several review replies it is my last day of school tomorrow (Thurs). I hope that means that I'll be able to update regularly still but I do start exams which will determine whether I am a failiure or not. Ha. Leading on nicely I may have time to start a sequel. I am considering doing it.. but bloodbath may make it complicated. Now as to some of your confusion Draco and Blaise (posse) went off to house and killed the occupents. As to why? Revenge... But if you're still confused (I think I clear it up slightly more in later chapters), this chapter will not make it any better methinks. Cos naturally the newspapers are wrong.

**Chapter Eleven**

_Together never Forever_  
  
Draco strolled with Zabini into the Great Hall. Lithliya was on his arm and members of Lithliya's own were walking in a cloud behind them. They were greeted with the sounds of palms on tables, cheers and clapping all from the Slytherin table. Zabini laughed and took a bow, Malfoy gave a majestic incline of the head, Lithliya smiled serenely and they walked to the head of the table. Lithliya's owl glided in over the heads of the Slytherins landing elegantly on her arm. She took the Daily Prophet from the bird, stroking its feathers before paying him and giving him a push up into the air. She passed the paper directly to Draco.  
  
He was pulling bacon onto his plate as he received the paper between two of his unoccupied fingers. When he'd taken a bite or two of bacon and a bite of toast smeared with marmalade, he glanced at the front page. There was an arial picture of a house with a large garden out the back cut off from most places. There were two long log like objects on the lawn and several people milling about trying to look important. The headline screamed _**'Murder of Ministry Official's Family; He Who Must Not Be Named Strikes Again'.  
**  
In the early hours of the morning the Department of Unusual Wizarding Activities were awoken by strange readings from the Northumbria area. Agent Dott and Brown discovered the Zabini family murdered, the Unforgivables used. Mr Henry Neptune Zabini was a rising star in the ministry having taken up a job only last year, saying he needed to feel like he was really influencing the world. His previous employment was a trader often travelling between the Middle East and Africa.  
  
His eldest son, Blaise Prometheus Zabini, is still at Hogwarts under the careful eye of Albus Dumbledore. He stands to inherit his father's property and money as the last survivor of the Zabini family. It is doubtful that Dumbledore will allow this poor orphan boy to attend the funeral of his siblings; five year old Douglas Castor Zabini, four year old Elebreth Cassandra Zabini and seven year old Micko 'Striker' Polyduces Zabini. Mr & Mrs Zabini will be buried with their children on Sunday in the Malfoy private graveyard.  
  
The only information the Ministry has been willing to give so far is that 'It was a hideous crime worthy of Lord... Thing, himself'. This double attack on two families with students at Hogwarts will certainly put Albus Dumbledore under strain._  
  
"They do not think he is a Death Eater?" Zabini asked, reading the paper over Malfoy's shoulder. Malfoy wiped some crumbs from Zabini's toast off himself. Lithliya made to take the paper off Malfoy but he stopped her looking intently at the last line.  
  
"They'll find out soon as the Ministry releases a statement. Unless the Ministry is foolish enough to try and hush it up; that they had a mole they did not know about. What does it mean by double attack?" Malfoy asked himself. He checked the contents before choking on his coffee. He hurriedly turned the pages to about halfway through. He scanned the article for five seconds before standing up and rushing out the hall. Zabini looked at the paper after him.  
  
"Fucking hell." Zabini said quietly. He put the paper closed the paper keeping a finger inside the page whilst handing it to Lithliya. She read the full article before closing the newspaper and banging her head on the bench. Zabini stopped her with a forceful hand. Lithliya glared before storming out the Great Hall, 1st years diving out her way.  
  
"Bloody women." Zabini muttered to himself flicking his wand so the newspaper caught fire and curled up in sodden black ashes on the table.  
  
"Five points from Slytherin for swearing Mr Zabini, another five for the chauvinistic attitude and five for singeing the table." Professor McGonagall reprimanded as she walked passed. She stopped and looked at him care clear in her eyes. "And I'm terribly sorry about your family." Zabini nodded and turned back to the Slytherin table where the loud cheers from earlier had turned into quiet scheming of revenge.  
  
--  
  
"Planet of the Apes." Malfoy ordered as he reached the Gryffindor portrait. The Fat Lady surveyed him before opening with feigned indifference. He ignored her but with a sneer on his face. A little girl screamed as she saw him climbing in through the portrait. He ignored her and walked towards the right hand stairs. He got part of the way up them before they formed a slide and he slid down. Apparently Gryffindor had had a sense of humour.  
  
He tried to ignore the raucous laughter from behind him. It didn't work. He spun round on his heel, his eyes flashing with bloodlust. The laughter stopped and he smiled his _Malfoy_ smile at them. They ran from him. Malfoy turned back to the other staircase, which he had not tried and bounded up them.  
  
"Granger!" He yelled as he reached the remaining door at the top. There was a figure outside them. The name engraved on the door was **'Harry Potter'**. "Longbottom?" Malfoy asked thoroughly confused. Today was suppose to be a day of victory but it was turning out a lot more like defeat. How had Voldemort organised them so fast? It could have not been more than two hours.  
  
"What-t-t are yo-o-u doing here Malffoy-y?" Neville choked out.  
  
"Is Granger in there?" He knew she had been sleeping in his room and hoped she'd still be there.  
  
"Yeah-h, she locked the door-r. But what are yo-o-u doing here?" Neville persisted. His question fell on dead ears. Malfoy was eying up the door. "It won't open to any spell I know. So I-I don't think-k-k it will open to- o-o-o anny yo-o-u know-w-w." By this time Neville's teeth were chattering and he was eying Malfoy's wand hand.  
  
"Go away!" The hoarse shout from inside was ignored by both party save Malfoy noting in his subconscious that she was alive and in there.  
  
Malfoy spared him once glance before charging at the door. His shoulder hit it full force. The door quaked but did not fall through. Malfoy charged again. This time the hinges gave way. He sailed through into the room. He straightened up, smirked at Neville who was gaping, grabbed his wand with a flick and a swish the door was back in place, hinges still broken.  
  
He turned round to look at the window. It was open and large. "Accio Shadowfire." He grabbed Hermione whose shuddering form was collapsed on the bed and pulled her into his arms. He turned just as his broom floated into the room. Draco placed her gently sideways onto it his broom, keeping his arms out the balance her as she wept. He climbed on behind her, his arms holding the end of the broom behind her keeping her in balance between his arms, letting her use his chest for a pillow.  
  
He flew her high above the school taking her to the slanted black slated roof above the Great Hall. The high hills and never ending green could be seen from miles on end here, Hogsmeade could even be distinguished from the folds of two curving hills. He let her go, leaning his broomstick against a chimney.  
  
She was standing there with her deep brown eyes on him. And he could not look away. Her hair was unbound, long and lifting with the wind. Her eyes were red from crying, her lips swollen. She was pale. She was wearing a night-gown; mid thigh length creme, making her seem more ethereal.  
  
He would debate with himself later whether that was the point of no return. When she looked at him, her face beaten by the wind, her body shivering with cold and sorrow. When those eyes were filled with nothing but sorrow, no anger, no hatred, just sorrow. When he knew and she knew that he, Draco Malfoy, was responsible for taking away her last bit of innocence.  
  
When he could no longer say that his longing in the morning when he woke for her was because he wanted her body alone. When he could no longer say that his longing for her words in his ear was because of her knowledge alone. When he could no longer say that when he looked at her, her life meant nothing to him.  
  
"Your family will be avenged." He said flatly removing all emotion from his face and voice. He kept his distance from the angel sent to tease and torture him. She shuddered at this and flopped gracelessly onto the slates. They made a hard thump.  
  
"I don't want vengeance, Draco. I want my parents to be at home when I get home for Yule." She choked out. He rolled his eyes and looked out to the rising sun.  
  
"Your parents are dead Granger. It is my fault. I did not think ahead. I would have had protection for your parents." Malfoy drawled out to the proud ball of fire. He heard a shuddered gasp behind him and changed his vision to some first years heading to their lessons by Hagrid's hut. "How did you find out without even coming down to breakfast?"  
  
He turned to look at her. She was looking up at him as if in ore, her knees drawn up to her chest, one of her arms draped over them the other out to him. Just then she lost balance and skidded down a couple of tiles. He almost jumped after her but she managed to stop herself. He pulled her back up to the top ridge of the roof before pulling her down to sit with him. She sat beside him and he put an arm around her shoulders. He felt her rest her head on his shoulder staring out with him upon the never-ending hills. _Someday_, he thought idly, _this will all be mine_. He looked to Hermione who was gazing out with affection on both flora and fauna. _And this already is. But I failed her._ He squashed the later thought and turned back to the green.  
  
"Harry dreamed. He woke me up in the night when he felt a bolt of pain. Lord Voldemort was angry. We went back to sleep but he began to dream, thrashing about and moaning softly. When he woke he told my Voldemort had had my parents killed. And that my mother had been pregnant." She wasn't crying. It was an improvement. Draco held her closed and rested his head on top of hers. He let his thoughts go for those few precious seconds.  
  
"Draco?" The nondescript reply was irate as she had shattered his peace. That was only something he ever got with her and now she was ruining it. "Why do you have to take revenge?" Draco wondered temporarily if she actually knew her parents had been killed by Voldemort that morning. He discarded this when his thoughts took him back to the fact she was Gryffindor ergo believing in innate human kindness.  
  
Draco knew he had never had much of human kindness. Draco knew that his mother being far more interested in fashion than him was not the kind of mother Hermione would have had. And he knew Hermione's father would not be constantly having visitors who never left the shadows of the corridors. Nor a father who used his cane when he was disobeyed; on animals, on people. Draco's tiny scar on the bottom of his left eyelid came from that cane. But whether or not she had found them amicable people it was more a question of war. If you let the enemy know you were willing to take their shit and not throw it back then they would just throw it harder.  
  
"Because they have to realise that we are a force to be reckoned with and we will not be weak." He left her to add to that statement what she would. He took his right unused by Hermione arm, and placed it round her waist, holding her tightly to him. He bent his head down and kissed her forehead. He knew he was behaving like an idiotic first year, or at least thinking like it. Enjoying the first flushes of young passion. But he did not want to stop. To feel her next to him was like no magic man could ever work. She brought to him a feeling of right, honestly, strength, intelligence that he could only crave._ And I'm turning into a fucking Gryffindor..._  
  
But he would not crave it. Because he knew that the world she lived in was very different. In her world there was very little margin between right and wrong and whatever margin there was he was treading on the bad side and she would not understand what he would have to do. To her the war would be won through innocent people's sacrifice, through right people fighting for the right reasons against people who deserved the deaths they so freely gave.  
  
But how different this was from his world. His world there was black and very little else. Malfoy always suspected the worst in people and was very rarely surprised. She surprised him. To him the war would be won through little people's deaths, through traitors, spies, killers and rapists killing other traitors, spies, killers and rapists. There was no such thing as innocent people. In war you were all murderers. Except Hermione.  
  
He was becoming a fucking pussy. He sniffed and kissed her head once more. His mind turned to revenge. Something spectacular. Something that would wake Voldemort up to the idea that Draco Malfoy was going to be his new archenemy.  
  
--  
  
Lithliya met Hermione on the Quidditch pitch. It was midday but neither of them were in lessons. Lithliya had spent the morning walking in the Forbidden Forest hoping to get attack or spotted by Draco. Both options would mean that she would have a chance to get some of her pent up anger out with a wand for a reason. However the dark creatures in the forest had had respect for another dark creature in their midst and kept a respectful distance. Hermione had just returned from the roof of the Great Hall with Draco.  
  
Hermione was following the Marauder's Map looking for Lithliya. Lithliya hailed Hermione from across the pitch. Hermione answered both girls inexplicably happy to see each other. They met smiling. Lithliya eyed the map with interest and Hermione hid it promptly, she had not told Harry she had taken it. They both smiled and headed round the grounds in a comfortable silence. Now Hermione had met her she felt awkward asking what she had intended to. "Look." Lithliya said from beside Hermione.  
  
Hermione followed Lithliya's gaze and found Hagrid first. She then spotted the midget at his feet. The fact was the girl was the tallest in her class but next to Hagrid all the 1st years were dwarfs. They both laughed. Hermione, who had changed out of her nightie into jeans and shirt, did a cartwheel on the grass. When she had righted herself she noted her companion was no longer level with her. Lithliya was standing back, arms crossed, face haughty. Hermione had barely time to note this before Lithliya hurled into a cartwheel then some kind of flip, landing perfectly upon the green grass. Hermione mumbled something beneath her breath and both girls laughed.  
  
Hermione collapsed with Lithliya, some twenty minutes later, under the shade of a tree fast losing it's leaves. Both girls were gay of spirits; Hermione having her parents pain dulled by the comforts of Harry, the presence of Draco and the humility of Lithliya. It lay dormant for the darker hours to come, when it would ravage her very soul. "You want to know something about Malfoy." Lithliya told Hermione who looked shocked then nodded.  
  
"I don't want to know how you know. You're already way too Darren Brown- like." Lithliya raised an eyebrow and motioned to her chin were the lack of a goatee was evident. Hermione stopped her with a dramatic sigh and rolling of eyes. "What happened to make him change? Why did he suddenly hate Voldemort after... after the summer? He went away last year all ready to become a Death Eater. And now... now he's killing Death Eaters. The Zabini's were Death Eaters, weren't they?"  
  
Lithliya nodded. "That question you'll have to ask him yourself, for I do not know... I know Draco came out of it with a black eye and broken nose, though you could hardly tell to look at him. And I know that his father did not come out of it unscathed. It was an argument I know that much. Over what... Lucius told Draco to get out of the family home. The upshot of it was Draco spent the last four weeks of the summer in one of the Malfoy castles...in Scotland I think. Draco already owns quite a few properties in his own right." Lithliya picked a flower from the grass.  
  
"The Malfoy's keep their business quiet. No doubt the death of Narcissa had something to do with the argument." Lithliya added, her flower now part of three joined together.  
  
Hermione's head shot up from where she had been lying down in the grass. "Narcissa Malfoy? She's dead? What happened? Why didn't I know?" A couple of 3rd years, who had recently been released from lessons as lunch began, stared at them as they wandered past.  
  
"No doubt Draco did not want the pity. I would not." Lithliya's laxed voice made Hermione uneasy. "Narcissa died a week and a half into the summer. She died of food poisoning, according to the inquest. She died with relatively little pain and in her sleep. If one knew anything about food poisoning..."  
  
"Dying with little pain would seem strange." Hermione completed, her own mind going back to her parents deaths. "He poisoned her then? Malfoy. And then leant on the people investigating to find food poisoning or one of the house elves at fault?"  
  
"I think it was more the thousand galleon donation to the Coroner's Quidditch team and being buddy buddy with the ministry officials." Lithliya commented idly completing her chain and placing it on Hermione's head. "Any and either way Draco was not happy with this. He did not want his mother dead and so much so he argued with his father. Or like Ginny said. There's another reason. Something to do with what Voldie wanted or something. No use to conjecture though. Especially as whatever it is Draco surely won't tell and knowing the Malfoy's it will be something that will require three different explanations involving tradition and history to explain."  
  
Hermione nodded and collapsed back onto the grass. She had not collapsed for long before she heard a male voice calling her name. She looked up and saw Harry striding down the grass towards them. He looked tired. "Where've you been all morning? I've been bloody worried sick! I was wandering round the entire school looking for you, I thought you'd been kidnapped or worse." Hermione paled. "And then the map was gone." Lithliya smiled at the ground as if it were suddenly performing a play. "And then Snape gave me a bloody detention for skipping his class! But McGonagall said looking for you was an ample excuse. He moaned then still took twenty points of Gryffindor."  
  
Hermione looked abashed and coloured a little. "Sorry. I was thinking." Not lying. Just neglecting information. "I've got the map, don't worry." Harry came round and sat between the two girls looking at Hermione with concern. "I'm okay. I really am. I know I have you and Ron." Harry snorted a little and smiled.  
  
"Maybe not Ron. He's up with Luna again." Hermione looked at Harry startled. "Apparently he's the only one that can get her to speak. And she'll only speak to him. She's improving according to Ron too."  
  
"Good. It'll be nice for Ron to be the centre of attention." Harry grimaced and rolled his eyes before taking in Lithliya for a moment. Hermione took her time to study the young lovebirds as they looked at each other. There was something tender and something sweet in the way Harry looked at Lithliya. Like there was his love written on his face. Something Draco would never....  
  
"Hello" Harry said to Lithliya smiling.  
  
"Hi." She returned before looking away into the dark forest. Harry took a second longer to look away but looking instead to Hermione. "This is the last day of summer weather. Enjoy it." Hermione looked up at Lithliya who was rising groggily from her sitting position. She nodded a goodbye then disappeared into the throb of students now heading down to do exactly as she had advised.  
  
"Why are you two not the most talked about couple in school?" Hermione asked following a small bird's flight over Hogwarts roof.  
  
"Because we're not a couple." Harry answered. "Can I have the map back, please?"  
  
Hermione handed it to him. She heard a shout from across the lake. It was just some younger years mucking about. When she looked back her bird had disappeared over Hogwarts. "Why are you not a couple, Harry Potter? You like her and she likes you. Granted your Slytherin and Gryffindor but really in this day and age there are far more pressing things to worry about."  
  
Harry looked at the sky. It really was the last day of summer weather. It wasn't actually summer weather; it was too cold and there was a damp feel to the air, an ice to the brush of the wind. "Because I have more important things to worry about than dating a girl. I might well be dead at the end of this year, less you forget." Harry added seriously.  
  
"You might well be alive and kicking. But Harry you need something, someone to fight for. You need to, in your darkest hour, think of someone who you know if relying on you and you alone to save the world." Hermione said, her mind not in the least on Harry.  
  
"I have you don't I?" Harry asked smiling. Hermione did not answer.  
  
--  
  
Now chickies that was a lil fluffy for my liking. However Draco has not lost his balls just temporarily misplaced them. He'll be back causing mass mayhem asap.


	12. Chapter Twelve: Appearance of Deception

**Oldies**_(Bex Drake, Swurplekitty, IrishSodaBread, ElvenRareHunter, Forest Song) _: Bex, thank you on accounts, good luck on yours too. Swurple I have to say that might well be as fluffy as it gets till right before they all die.... whoops gave the plot away wink. I'm glad you liked it. Soda I was being damn sarcastic and it takes a hellaalot to offend moi. Try harder next time. Niam name is still just as cool. Well I think there might be a lull in bloodbathing for a chapter or two. But fluffiness is rare with moi. Holly, I do thank you it is nice to know what you think and am v glad he wasn't too OOC. Forest, As I said I confiscated... i mean misplaced his balls. Voldie killed Hermione's parents as revenge for Draco's killing of the Zabini's.

**Oldies 2 **_(Star 19, Mel 62, Shadders, Hotpinkflamingo, Haystack)_: Star thank and you're a star. Mass destruction will be temporarily on hold.... Mel darling I will pull you through if I have to write a sequel I will. I'm goulishly proud you liked my humour and my Draco. Talking off balls poor Neville who has none and I do not see fit to give him one; i agree with you 100%.Shady Ron is in this chapter and Draco is up to not much good. Darren Brown is cool so I thought I'd give him a mention. Flamingo, is that actually in OotP? Ohh I'm good dances. hem hem, Perhaps we should kill the examiners? Haystack as long as you do review and give your opinion I do not care! well maybe but I'm too ill atm to bother. You're forgiven child. I've had a little critism for Lithliya so I'm glad you like her and the other newbies. Ty ty.

**Newbies** _(Spike the Dragon, Magical Ferret, Hotaru420, magicrules)_: Spike, your name always make me sing the theme song to Puff the Magic Dragon _who lives far away, across the oceans, seas in a land called.... something_. Sorry, had to tell you. Thank you very much. Ferret, THANK YOU but I do not think Hermione would have the strength nor will to say no... I think she is too much in lust after him. Hotaru, I am very pleased you like it that much! Rules, Yes sir!!!!! updates

**AN:** Due to overwelming reviewer response faints I have decided to update sooner than intended. The first timeskipping comes into play here and it'll probably skip quite a bit until the end from now onwards. **Slash** referece in this chapter and heavily in the next. Draco will be back to being a dick shortly.

**Chapter Twelve**

_Appearance of Deception_  
  
The winter drew in day by day, gathering the black clouds of night over the evening sky earlier and earlier. The chill, that had set in just as the autumn began rising from the ashes, was accompanied by fierce lashings of rain and tirades of wind. Hogwarts still stood tall and proud against the spite of the weather.  
  
Four days had passed since the death of the Grangers and Zabinis. In their own ways both students involved had come to terms with what had happened; Hermione crying with the support of Harry or Ron, long hours talking and letters to various family members. The funeral, it was decided, would wait until after the final battle. But by then they would just be two of many. Blaise had dealt with his siblings and parents death in a very different way. He had decided to sell the family house and was planning to buy a mansion with his inheritance. Now that he no longer had to pretend his father was a straightforward trader turned ministry worker he could reveal and show off his wealth.  
  
The Daily Prophet on the Wednesday had almost written a retraction of its former report on the murders. It revealed how it was an attack on a Death Eater spy in the Ministry and that the Ministry completing an internal investigation into how a spy managed to get a job. Gossip had spread round the school like wildfire, though the Zabini family murders were not connected with the attacks at Hogwarts. The message on the fence in the Zabini garden was not reported in the press and it was not common knowledge what had been written on the access to Slytherin corridors.  
  
The weekend dawned cold and tempestuous. Large grey clouds warned of thunder and rain casting the entire world under a grey sky. The mood of the weather did not affect the students too much however. For the 3rd years and above it was the first Hogsmeade weekend and their excitement fed into the veins of the school making the general student body excited and tired. It had been announced that morning that the Death Eaters previously inhabiting the school were no longer there, though Aurors still patrolled at night.  
  
Harry and Lithliya had made it their duty to see the students into Hogsmeade with no rule breaking. By the time they had seen this done in the streets of the town there were no other students to see except the disappearing back of a 3rd year. Harry felt slightly awkward in the presence of this girl after that talk with Hermione. "Do you want to shop or have a butterbeer first?" Lithliya asked him lightly idly beginning to walk along the street, her black out of school robes flicking out behind her.  
  
"Errr." Harry thought for a minute trying to avoid the feeling of being a deer caught in headlights. "How about... going to the robe shop? We'll need new robes for the end of term banquet." The banquet was an idea suggested by Dumbledore at the first ever prefect meeting. It was suppose to be a formal dinner on the last day of term. The reason for it being held was not given but assumed. Because some of those prefects attending this year would be unable to attend later that year. There would be some formal dancing and everyone was suppose to wear their best.  
  
It was themed upon the Scarlet Pimpernel with the women being the ladies they rescued. The idea was propounded by Hermione who had been reading the book at the time. It had taken half an hour to explain to the purebloods...  
  
--  
  
"How about the Scarlet Pimpernel?" Hermione said, resting her book upon her knees and looking round the circle. There was a flicker of recognition in Hannah Abbot's eyes.  
  
"Yes! That would be so romantic." The Hufflepuff prefect exclaimed. The rest of the prefect sat in stoic silence until the Malfoy drawl entered the room.  
  
"We don't want some flower to be the theme of our dance. I still say we should do Revenge of the Bartis."  
  
"The Scarlet Pimpernel is a book!" Hermione exclaimed picking it up and showing the room. "It's about the culling of the French aristocracy." She was interrupted by several voices at once. She spared a glance to Malfoy who was looking vaguely amused by the idea of the aristocracy getting culled.  
  
"Wait. Why don't we hear Hermione out before we veto it." Hermione smiled a thanks at Harry who just nodded.  
  
"The Scarlet Pimpernel was the leader of a band of English aristocrats who went into France to save some of those meant for the Guillotine. People use to execute by the Guillotine." She added in explanation as Ron opened his mouth to speak. "They had fun taking high up aristocrats from under the French authorities noses."  
  
"Sir Percy Blakeney was actually the Pimpernel but everyone thought he was an idiot." Hannah added highly excited. Hermione thought they were getting off point.  
  
"I just meant that we should theme the banquet on 18th century Muggle aristocrats with swords." Hermione added, breaking into the hubble of chatter that had started....  
  
--  
  
Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Lithliya speaking. "Sorry what?" He asked when he realised he'd only caught the end of what she was saying. She turned and smiled at him as if he were a cute fluffy animal. He squirmed slightly.  
  
"I was saying that it was an awfully good idea of Hermione's. 18th century dresses are very fancy though they are as wide as a table." They both thought about that for a second before snorting out laughter. "Oh." Lithliya added as her laughter subsided. "I think the only reason it passed vote was because Draco wanted a big sword." More laughter.  
  
"I think this means you and me have to go as a couple." Harry added swinging his arms as he walked. He felt as carefree as a five-year-old.  
  
"I don't mind that." Lithliya said dodging the first rain drop as it fell. She pulled the black hood of her robes over her golden head and walked closer to Harry. People around them were darting for shelter so they were suddenly quite alone in the street. "I think you have to go as the Scarlet Pimpernel himself." Lithliya told him over the patter of the rain hitting the cobbled streets.  
  
_Her arm was brushing his. Their hands were touching through the material of the robes.  
_  
"Then you will have to go as Lady Blakeney otherwise known as Marguerite St Just." Harry commented swaying sideways to avoid a hurrying old biddy.  
  
_His shoulder brushed hers. His arm remained intertwined with hers through the soft soaking material._  
  
"Well, Hermione said they were leaders of fashion. So we'd better go and lead." They had arrived at the robe shop. Harry held the door open for the smaller, younger Slytherin to go in. He then followed pulling his hood back to reveal his stand-on-end hair. Lithliya laughed when she saw him. She had not a hair out of place. He dived for her.  
  
_His arm wrapped around her body. His hand mussed up her silken blonde hair.  
_  
An old giggle. Harry froze in his motions and looked up. A kindly wrinkled old lady stood behind the counter. Her robes were a bright pink with flowers on them. Harry hurriedly released the giggling victim who spun away hastily and straightened her hair. "Hogwarts?" She asked giggling slightly. Harry nodded shifting slightly, his robes dripping onto the floor. "Don't worry about the mess." The old lady got out her wand and flicked it. They were both dry. The old woman had forgotten to not dry all of them. Lithliya's hair was flicked up in odd angles. But Lithliya had no idea. Harry hid his smile.  
  
"Dumbledore told me the theme was Muggle 18th century aristocracy." The woman was now bustling about various dresses appearing from racks. "Now lets look at you girl." The old woman studied the girl. She looked momentarily confused then glanced at Harry. Harry noted the familiar flick to the forehead. Her old face broke into a smile. "The head boy and girl. Oh goodness. Yes I have already got your dresses." _Dress**es**?  
_  
The woman flicked her wand and two mannequins baring highly elaborate costumes appeared from no where. The mannequins were posing and showing off all the features of the clothing. The old lady tapped the male one on the shoulder and it stopped and stood still. "Now here you go. The Scarlet Pimpernel's dress coat and birches." Harry knew he would look quite stunning in that. Just he wasn't sure weather it was a good stunning or not. Lithliya was smiling though. "And his wife." Both of the students shuffled and looked uncomfortable. The dress was matching to his costume and just as elaborate. Both were a maroon colour with gold trimmings. "Go on. Try them on." The old lady was undoing the corset to the back of Lithliya dress. Lithliya was looking at it with mild panic.  
  
"I haven't worn a dress since I was nine." Lithliya explained quietly. The old lady ignored her and stuffed her and the dress into a changing room at the back. Harry took his with no complaint. It took him five minutes to change into it. A full five minutes. So many undershirts and ruffles and.... it was complicated.  
  
"It fits." He called through the curtain still only half dress. He ignored the reply telling him to come out and show the dressmaker. He hurriedly changed back into his robes. He came out and gave the costume back to the old lady. The lady smiled at him like she was his grandmother pleased that he'd grown, ironic as he was at least a foot if not taller than her. She hustled back into the back of the shop.  
  
"Harry." A whisper came from the curtain. "Is she gone?"  
  
"Yeah." He whispered back trying to stop himself laughing.  
  
"Help. I can't do this bloody dress." He could not stop himself laughing at that. "Get your arse in here and stop laughing." He sneaked in through the curtain and took her in. Well she looked like a Lady even if she did not speak like it. He was still laughing. "Stop laughing or do you want to lose the ability to father children?" She asked seriously. He stopped and hurriedly did up the back of the dress.  
  
"Chuckle-peas?" The old lady asked. Evidently she was back in the front of the shop.  
  
"We're just trying to get the dress done." Lithliya explained, gasping as Harry finished tying the corset. He then helped her pull on the overlay and did the tiny catch on that to keep it up. Lithliya turned round and walked out the instant he was done managing also to step on his foot in the process. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and walked out after her.  
  
The old lady went into fits of cooing to which Harry had to forcibly restrain Lithliya from doing something that would ruin the dress. Harry helped Lithliya undo the overlay and corset before going back out into the shop.  
  
"I'll have them sent up with all the other Hogwarts outfits. It's on the fifteenth isn't it? Of December. Only a month then." Harry smiled and nodded, getting out his money. "Be ten galleons for the both of you. School discount." Harry stopped himself from raising an eyebrow and nodded handing over the money.  
  
"Potter you'd better not be paying for me. I have more than enough money..."  
  
"If you have to suffer me going with you I'm sure I can pay for that dress." He heard her murmur something along the lines of 'it's not a dress, it's a monstrosity'. He smiled and thanked the old lady who was glowing with what seemed like pride... _Ring._  
  
Harry looked up sharply. "Look who it is. Potter." Malfoy drawled. His face was dripping from the rain and he looked mutinous. Harry looked away and smiled as he heard Lithliya swear from in the changing rooms. "Hello Lithliya. I wondered where you'd got to."  
  
"You must be young master Malfoy. All grown up now. I remember when your father came here with your mother. He was so smitten with her. How things have changed." The old lady's face was so creased with pleasure that it looked like the wrinkles would swallow her up. Malfoy looked away in disgust.  
  
"Listen." Malfoy said fixing his gaze an inch above her head. "I need an outfit. I'd like it in black and silver." There was a few more simpering from the old lady before she waved her wand, drying him. She flicked it once more and a black three quarter length jacket with white ruffles on the undershirt appeared. Some birches walked from another row of clothing and stood underneath. Draco scanned the outfit then nodded. "Fine." He threw nine galleons carelessly from his pocket on the counter. Lithliya appeared from the changing rooms her hair still roughed up. Malfoy scanned her and shot Harry a fowl look. "Come Liya, we need to meet Zabini in the Hogshead." He grabbed her arm and pulled her out the shop. She did not look back at Harry.  
  
--  
  
Hermione ate a sedated lunch with Ron in the Three Broomsticks. Ron had been telling her in ample detail about Luna's progress then about Quidditch's effect on daily life. Harry turned up about a third of the way through lunch and hurriedly joined in Ron's conversation and then changed the subject of it subtly. Hermione would be eternally grateful.  
  
They ate then in a moderately entertaining conversation. Fred and George were in trouble with the ministry on two counts; one that one of products was causing mass mayhem and two that they had a disregard for the Ministry's Proper Retailing laws. Charlie was conducting a relationship with Fleur (to which Harry and Hermione shared a smile over Ron's lack of jealousy). Snape had set an impossible essay for the Monday. Oliver Wood had been offered to join the England Quidditch Squad but he was waiting to see whether Scotland wanted him also.  
  
"What have you been doing this morning then Harry?" Hermione asked after finishing her Treacle pudding. She stretched out.  
  
"I was getting my costume." Harry said into his strawberry ice-cream.  
  
"What's it like?" Hermione asked sitting forwards excitedly. Harry and Ron exchanged glances.  
  
"Like any 1793 outfit I suppose." Harry shrugged and concentrated on the ice cream. Ron laughed and got chocolate on his nose. Neither of his friends bothered to tell him.  
  
"Oh." Hermione said a little put out. "I suppose me and Ron better get ours later." Ron squirmed uncomfortably. Harry looked at the floor.  
  
"Hermione, I can't get a costume. Money does not go on trees. I've got my dress robes from two years ago. They'll have to do." An uncomfortable silence fell on the table. "You asked anyone Harry?" Ron asked trying to cover his embarrassment.  
  
"Yeah. Well I didn't ask her. But yeah. I said we probably had to go together. And she said she didn't mind." Harry said finishing off his ice cream. Ron had just discovered he had chocolate on his nose and was wiping nose with the back of his hand.  
  
"Harry Potter that has to be the worst way of asking someone out I have ever known. At least Lithliya had the grace to accept in the same way." Hermione reprimanded him using a serviette to clean Ron's chocolate now smudged nose. "At least you could have not made it sound like she had no option."  
  
"But then she might have said no." Harry replied sulking over his empty plate of ice cream. Hermione sighed as Ron tried to speak through her rubbings. Hermione sighed and wondered how these boys ended up in Gryffindor.  
  
A little while later she had split from Ron and Harry who had gone off talking about Quidditch formations for the upcoming game with Ravenclaw. She had just chosen a beautiful white dress with silver jewellery. She had no fear of it being a wedding dress as the width made it impossible. Hermione Granger may be bookish but she still liked looking nice. "How much is it?" She asked feeling her purse with a slight worry. She would have enough she'd just have to skimp on Yule presents.  
  
"Oh don't worry young lady. Your partner already paid for your dress. He came in earlier and chose his own and paid for whatever you chose." The kindly old woman said. Hermione looked confused.  
  
"I'm sorry. I don't have a partner. It must be someone else." Malfoy wouldn't do anything so pleasant. It couldn't be him. _Be him, be him._  
  
"Hermione Granger?" The old woman questioned taking out a note. It was a scrap of parchment. Hermione nodded numbly. "Mr Malfoy left the money this morning with this note." _Oh goodness Mr Malfoy... Draco he did that. Why? Did he think she'd sleep with him if he was nice to her? No. Draco knew he would really need to be nice to her to get her to sleep with him. Thought, but he would have another thing coming,_ she vowed to herself. Hermione blushed and thanked the woman turning to leave.  
  
She ran straight into a broad shouldered ugly man outside. She landed hard on the rain washed cobblestones. "Sorry." She said numbly pulling herself up. The man pushed her back down hard.  
  
"Watch where the fuck you're going, Mudblood. Your kind are going to get what's coming to 'em." The man sneered spit coming out his mouth. Hermione looked down at the ground and began trying to crawl away without him noticing. She crawled into something hard. She looked up and saw Crabbe's ugly face glaring across at the man.  
  
Crabbe then looked down at her and pulled her up awkwardly from under her arms. She thanked him quietly and brushed herself off. "What the hell did you think you were fucking doin'?" Goyle asked from the other side of Crabbe. The man looked confused.   
  
"Aren't you Slythering?" He asked glaring at the colour of their sweaters. Both brutes nodded. "And you are defending this Mudblood? But your Slytherin! I was in Slytherin!" The man rejected. _If one squinted_, Hermione thought, _this man could almost be Crabbe or Goyle.  
_  
"I don't think there is anything here to cause an argument over." Hermione said quietly pulling lightly on Crabbe's arm.  
  
"Oh I think there is." The drawl came from behind both Crabbe and Goyle. It was the Malfoy drawl.  
  
"Ah. Finally. Someone with sense." The man said as Crabbe and Goyle parted to let Draco through. Draco was of a much thinner build but he was near of equal height. "Malfoy, your goons were protecting this Mudblood." A little crowd was gathering around them.  
  
"Good. Now what the hell do you think you were doing?" Malfoy said so quietly Hermione barely heard. She made to go forwards but Crabbe stopped her. A lighter touch on her arm alerted her to another presence beside her. She jumped and looked up at Zabini's pale aristocratic face.  
  
"Come on, Granger, I don't think this will be something you nor I wish to see. How about afternoon tea?" Hermione made much protest as Zabini dragged her off to the Madam Puddifoot's. They went in just as a little drizzle made sight of anything further away than two metres was lost in never ending grey. "Ahh. Nice to be away from all those butch men testing their testosterone, yes?" Hermione made no response, she was straining to see out the window and fingering her badge.  
  
Zabini continued in his cultured voice ordering "Two caffe au lait, please." There was a pause while the coffees were fetched. "No, those butch men weren't my scene. I prefer some thinner bodies more of the kind of fragile air about men." Hermione, who had been taking her first sip of coffee, spat it out into the cup and choked so hard Zabini had to come out his chair and smack her on the back. By the time she was back to normal she noticed Zabini was laughing at her. "And now you know you can call me Blaise."  
  
"You're gay?" She asked incredulously. "Does Draco know?" She asked hurriedly glancing out to where the action had been. The rain obscured anything but the back of a still small crowd.  
  
"Actually I'm bisexual with homosexual tendencies." Blaise corrected sipping his coffee eloquently. Hermione still did not trust herself to drink hers. "I should think Draco has known for a long time. Not much escaped him even when he was following Daddy's orders. Well at least he never said anything when I put Neville and Colin on my list."  
  
"On your list?" Hermione questioned sipping delicately at her coffee.  
  
"List of people I look out for and expect all of Slytherin to look out for. You're on Draco's... hence the..." He motioned to the commotion. "I am in charge of 4th years in Slytherin and anyone else I put on my list. I think Crabbe and Goyle have the 2nd years. I doubt they have anyone else on their list." He drained a little more from his cup thinking of Crabbe and Goyle. "I think Draco gave me the 4ths because there's such a cute group of gays in there." Zabini added and Hermione hurriedly put down her cup of coffee just in case she choked again.  
  
"There's more gays in Slytherin? Open gays?" Hermione asked. She had never heard of any gays in Gryffindor yet Slytherin who were the closed of houses had a gay coven?  
  
"Oh yeah. Since Malfoy became King two years ago everyone became quite relaxed about it. It wasn't important as beating Gryffindor. But there are quite a few in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. The Ravenclaw lot don't have any because they don't like it. Homophobic wankers. They're just worried we'll get more sex than them." Blaise added finishing his cup.  
  
Hermione quickly downed the remainder of her cup while he was silent. The door opened and Draco walked in coming to sit beside Hermione. He nodded to Blaise. "All done?" Blaise asked paying the bill. Draco took the dregs of Hermione's cup and nodded. "Good. Bastard."  
  
Draco nodded abstractly. "Did you pay for my dress?" Hermione asked Draco who had slid and arm around her waist.  
  
"Err... yeah." He said leaning back and stretching. An irate voice came from the booth behind where Draco had whacked them on the head. When the 5th year saw who it was they shut up pretty quickly. "Have you found out about the marks?" She was about to ask what he was on about when she realised the question was not aimed at her.  
  
"Yeah. You were right. It'll take another three weeks for them to die, two to become faint and they are already weaker. We'll see if they confess." Draco nodded his comprehension yawning. "Quidditch practice tonight. I hope Flint managed to get his broom sorted. He's so full of his brother's bullshit." Zabini added thoughtfully. Draco just nodded. Draco had yet to recover sleep from his allnighter on Monday night.  
  
"Hermione!" The voice came from the door. All three looked up sharply. Ginny stood in the doorway, Neville behind her...  
  
--  
  
Review fast and another chapter fast. That is the way of the world. So stop complaining and get on with it.  
  
Next time find out: What Ginny does, what Malfoy has planned in revenge, if Lithliya and Harry get to go to the ball, what the relationship between Zabini and Neville and Colin is..... Review!


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Touching Pain

**Oldies **_(Bex Drake, Hotpinkflamingo, Mel62, Star19)_: **Bex** then I hope you like the bit in this chapter which is the same type of humour. With people like you reviewing I'm updating very fast cos you all so brill (cheesy!). **'mingo** I hope you continue to like this chapter though there is very little of Harry looking good in it. Sorry but very glad you like it. Thanks. **Mel** even I cannot have the lead guy all bad. I can do a damn good job though (ref: end of this chapter). I should think that Hermione's face is well known with being around Harry so much so he might have recognised her. He was just some random guy. I shouldn't think Crabbe and Goyle have brains they just follow orders. **Star** your review was touching and am very proud to have you as a reader. Please continue to do so.

**Oldies 2**_ (Niam, Haystack, Forestsong, Raine is Crazy, Shady)_: **Niam** I do think you do. Perhaps you should go and read some Neville fanfiction... ::sigh:: Anyway I think I am nice to Neville in thsi chapter though I do fear the future. Very nice to you to say thank you very much.**Haystacky** very sorry about cliffhanger. Wasn't too bad was it? Blaise lends himself to being gay.. or herself... Have got none so far but I'll come crying to you if I do! **Forestsong** no problem at all. My fault for confuzing ya in the first place. I was listening to the Scarlet Pimpernel at the time which is how it came about. Will it be quite funny? well with all the blood that will be flying about.... oopps did I give something away? **Raine** calm down girly you'll screaming the site down. You'll probably hate me for this chapter so I'm stopping now so I can get away quickly. Alex is fine. **Shady** I'm sorry I don't have Dobby in it. But he's probably off at Malfoy Mansion having gay house elf sex so let him be. But if I do update that fast I'll have nothing to keep me going during all my exams that week.

**Newbies** _(Drex, Flu,_ _Niphredil Brandybuck, Evil Fairy 27)_: **Drex** thank you ever so much. I do like my bastards very much they so much more fun to write than heros. Methinks personally that Hermione is to enthralled with him to say no _at the moment...._ JKR writes a kids book so you can't blame her too heavily. **Flu** sorry I missed you out last time... my mistake. Hope these later chapters will help clear things up. **Niph** I do love your name Merry is the coolest hobbit and I hope this update is good for you. **Evil Fairy** thank you very much glad you enjoy it and hope you continue to.

**Newbies 2**_ (Lady Incognita, Magical Ferret, Muggle lover )_: **Lady Incognita** thank you very much glad you enjoyed it. Spiffy name by the way. **Ferret** depends what Slytherins were following though aye? hehehe. The marks? well you'll find out by the end. **Muggle L** I think Blaisey boy lends himself to being gay. It's quite a feminine name and in England you would generally think of it being a him.... and Zabini sounds italian and with their birthrate they have to have a high gay population. And besides its good humour.

**AN1:** Was gobsmacked that reviews since chapter 11 took up over a page of reviews. Would like to thank everyone... you all fantastic people. This is now my highest reviewed story and with 123 (spooky) reviews I am estatic.

**AN2**: This chapter will require concentration. You will need your wits about you for a section of this chapter and it may require flicking up and down on the page... I hope however it is worth the effort, I enjoyed writing it. **Slash** warning but only mild. Oh and Draco's back.

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Touching Pain_  
  
Neville pushed gently passed Ginny and slide in the seat beside Blaise. Blaise mimicked Malfoy by sliding an arm around Neville's waist. Neville blushed and looked about but the cafe was surprisingly free of Hogwarts students with the exception of themselves. Ginny's jaw was lying somewhere on the ground.  
  
Hermione was blushing deeply and hiding her face in Draco's neck. Her breath down the side of his neck and shoulders was ticklish. Except Malfoy was not ticklish. "Weasley," He drawled over the cafe, "Sit down and don't make such as arse of yourself. Zabini moved over so that Ginny could sit on the end of their row.  
  
"Hermione?" Ginny asked with anxiety precedent in her voice. Hermione looked up from Draco's shoulder, her face a little red.  
  
"Hi Ginny." Hermione said pulling herself out of Draco's arms. He let her go and went up to order seven coffees. "I'm not dating Malfoy." She said as soon as he was away from the table but not out of hearing. "He hasn't asked me out. It's just... weird." She said quickly, not looking at Blaise. "I haven't told anyone. Not even Harry or Ron."  
  
Ginny was staring at her as well as at Neville who was looking decidedly uncomfortable about having an ex-girlfriend here and Blaise who looked indifferent except for the gleam in his eye. "I don't know Hermione. He's Malfoy an all." Malfoy arrived back at the table just at this point sliding in next to Hermione. Hermione's eyes rested on the table, her face beating a light red.  
  
"Glad of you to notice, Weasley." Draco said, ignoring Hermione's embarrassment and putting his arms around her. "Is your friend going to come in? I ordered him a coffee. It'll be a waste if he doesn't." Everyone but Ginny and Malfoy strained to see whom he was on about. Ginny just glared at Malfoy before turning round to gesture at a black figure getting soaked in the rain. The figure came in. He magically dried himself before coming to take Ginny's place. To Ginny's abhorrence there was no room left on that side of the table. She turned to face her fate... Sitting next to Draco Malfoy.  
  
She sat as close as she could to the edge nearly falling off when the waitress arrived with their coffees. Ginny could tell all the men on the table were laughing at her. She sighed. "Well glad to see you could join us, Creevey. Wouldn't want to see you getting drenched." Colin shifted in his seat and sipped his coffee. "Blaise, are you actually dating either of these?" Malfoy asked whilst idly playing with a stray hair from Hermione's ponytail. She was too bothered about Ginny to notice.  
  
"Not pacifically. We're just playing about, aye boys?" Blaise answered roughing Colin's hair and kissing him affectionately on the head. Both boys looked absolutely amazed that Malfoy knew that Zabini was gay and was so free about it. They were also both terrified.  
  
"So that explains why you're still giving my girlfriend the eye up on occasion." Malfoy said just as smoothly.  
  
"Malfoy why did you order seven coffees?" Hermione asked. It had been bugging her. Even with the extra person there was still only six.  
  
"I suppose I could understand." Ginny added, not listening to anybody else. She immediately had Hermione's full attention.  
  
"Because there was five of us and one lurker." Malfoy responded to Hermione leaning back to she could see Ginny. He placed an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"I am free to eye up whoever I want to yes. Your girlfriend has several of the qualities I admire. I always have had a thing for idiotic bravery. And know-it-alls." Blaise sucked in breath and sipped his coffee.   
  
"Understand what?" Hermione asked Ginny. She was leaning forwards so much her hair was in danger of dipping into her coffee. Draco idly pulled her hair to safety.  
  
"You are a queer one Blaise. Have you hidden that money yet?" Malfoy asked taking one of the final sips of coffee from his mug.  
  
"But that still means there's one coffee cup left over!" Hermione exclaimed pointing to the final untouched coffee cup.  
  
"Understand dating Malfoy." Ginny continued still in her own world, oblivious to everyone else. She was halfway through her coffee. "I probably would too if he asked me." Malfoy spat out the coffee he'd just drunk.  
  
"Yeah. I've also got in touch with those people you asked me too. They are all perfectly willing. I personally prefer Barcelona but if you want Venice, Venice it is." Blaise said straightening out Neville's jumper for the obvious excuse that it was wonky. He then returned to his coffee.  
  
"Darling Hermione I need two coffees. I am already huge and still growing." It was Blaise's turn to spit out his coffee. Draco smirked at him.  
  
"You would? So you don't mind? I mean I know he's Malfoy but you know...." Hermione blushed. Malfoy looked interested.  
  
"I don't know, why don't you enlighten me?" Malfoy asked Hermione before returning to Blaise. "Yeah. Venice. Next weekend? Or would that be too soon for your guys?"  
  
"That's foul Malfoy." Hermione reprimanded him. "I'll have you know you're not that big." Ginny spat out her coffee. Apparently she wasn't that out of it.  
  
"You've!" Ginny stopped and shook her head. "Well I suppose. I would be hypocritical saying anything. Can I just check?"  
  
"My guys will be ready for anything you bring on them." Blaise told him playing with Neville's hair. He was now permanently smirking. Even Neville and Colin were smirking more comfortable now. "Who do you want on lists?"  
  
"And what comparison are you setting me to?" Malfoy asked almost finishing his cup of coffee. He kissed Hermione on the lips.  
  
"Yeah. Go on." Hermione said to Ginny after Draco's lips left hers. She kissed him back before he yelped. She burst into giggles as Malfoy looked down at his lap to see Ginny peering down his boxers. Her head came back up and she nodded.  
  
"Not bad." She commented. All the boys on the other side of the table were gazing at her with complete gobsmacked awe. Hermione was still laughing heavily. Malfoy sniggered and drew Hermione closer. She rapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulders.  
  
Ginny smiled at them for a minute. Malfoy was being as close as it was possible for him to be human. Hermione looked happy. _Really happy._ Ginny sighed and smiled. _It would be nice to find someone. Evidently both of them had_. "I'm so happy for you two." Ginny said slightly choked up. Malfoy laughed at her and Hermione hit his shoulder lightly.  
  
"Come on Hermione. We'd better be going. Blaise, enjoy your boys. Ginny you coming with us or staying with the battys?" Draco asked pulling Hermione and Ginny out their row. He put down a galleon on the table.  
  
"I'll come." Ginny said, rapping her robes about her. She dug in her purse for money. Draco stopped her. He then moved to the door. He nodded a goodbye to Blaise, waited for Hermione and Ginny to join him by the door. Both girls waved goodbye to the boys at the table before stepping out into the pouring rain. Malfoy swept behind them casting a spell to stop the rain falling on them.  
  
As soon as they were out of sight of the cafe all three burst out laughing. The staggered along the road back towards the coaches laughing hard. Malfoy recovered first resuming his normal face with only the occasional snigger letting through.  
  
Behind them they did not see the two shadows emerging into the rain from the Quidditch store. They were both instantly soaked by the rain. Their red and black hair sticking to their foreheads but they did not seem to notice. Their gaze was fixed on the three figures that just passed them. "You just saw that too? Didn't you?" Ron asked faintly. His voice was hoarse.  
  
"Yeah.... Hermione, Ginny.... and Malfoy. Laughing." Harry answered. He brushed his hair up from his eyes and cleaned his glasses. He squinted again but the now distant figure were still platinum blonde, flaming red and brown. He looked to Ron to see if he was seeing the same thing. Ron wasn't there. "Ron?" He looked around. Where had he gone? Harry walked into something soft. Ron was on the floor. He had fainted.  
  
--  
  
Hermione and Ginny laughed loudly. Draco and Blaise were continuing a witty repartee of jokes ranging from sexual to political. Crabbe and Goyle were also laughing but with a time delay of a second so they could realise they were suppose to be laughing.  
  
Ginny and Hermione had allowed themselves to be walked back to the castle by Draco only under his insistence that he fully believed even two Gryffindor 7th years should not walk about without a third. This in turn had led to a highly educated debate about chauvinism and its justification in modern society. Draco had argued the for, Hermione the against and Ginny the referee. The light hearted nature in Hermione about this conversation had belied her need to know if his opinions on the subject were as they seemed; set and unmoving. Draco had sensed this on some level and kept his opinion the same and his manner as light as possible.  
  
They had found themselves in the library and spent an hour or two conversing and joking on Hermione's bookish habits and the hard studying people in the library. They had sometime later been joined by Blaise and Dethcous, who had just been to have a check up with Madame Pomfrey. Their light-hearted jovial spirit had not been dampened by the ever present hammering rain with short intervals designed to get ones hope up for a little sunshine before it poured again.  
  
They had just reached the main hall, the smell of the hot Sunday Roast dinner had tempted them from the library where they had met with Crabbe and Goyle and a collection of other Slytherins, when Draco had pulled Hermione aside. Ginny had continued in, but not before winking at Hermione, with the remainder of Slytherins close after her. Hermione saw her wave them off and turn to a gobsmacked Gryffindor table.  
  
Hermione turned back to Draco smiling. He returned the smile before brushing his fingers into her hand and tugging on them. "Come with me." He whispered. She followed him. When they reached the first classroom he spun her in, shutting the door behind him. She heard her pulse _thump, thump, thump_ in her head. There was a glint in his eye of hunger. He was advancing on her. She swallowed unable to look away from those grey eyes. _Never ending eyes, that devoured you whole, reading every thought, watching every memory._  
  
He stopped an inch away from her. An inch. She could feel the space between their bodies. She craved for him to touch her. For those eyes. Never felt more alive, never been closer to death.  
  
_Never felt more alive  
Never been closer to death  
Never thought I'd feel love   
Never felt pain like this   
Never knew touch before this time  
Never thought you'd be my death   
Never been at home before   
Never knew hell would be so beautiful  
Never will know you like you know me_  
  
Torture. She was looking up at him. He was still an inch away his eyes looking into her soul. She felt a shiver pass through her body. The hairs on her arms were standing up and she was breathing in sharp gasps. And he still wasn't touching her.  
  
_Ahh his hand._ She watched as his right hand as it rose to the height of her face. It was a centimetre away from her. A millimetre. His fingers were tracing her features so close that she could feel the movement of the air. What was he doing? Why wasn't he touching her? Hermione licked her lips and she caught the tail end of a smile flitting across his face. That glint was still there. It read danger.  
  
He drew back. She let out a gasp of air. His face fell but he recovered it quickly. He held out a hand to her. It took a second for her to respond. Her hand reached out to his. So close but not touching, their arms around each other, they moved to a beat that was not there. His fingers trailing a millimetre above the back of her arm. Her fingers grazed the hair on the back of his neck.  
  
She drew back. No. "Don't play games with me Draco. Either you kiss me or you don't." She searched his face. It was the same as it always was. His eyes told a different story. The blackened pupils contracted. A smirk drew up a corner of his mouth. _Never knew touch before this time, never thought you'd be my death_. He stepped up to her. She stood her ground.  
  
He was touching her now. She ran. She darted out and ran to the door. His voice stopped her. "What happened to the brave Gryffindor? Running away are you?" His mood had flipped like a coin. He moved towards her again. "Running to the hero? The hero who will be all our saviours? Like he saved Loony Lovegood?" Draco sneered.  
  
_Never will know you like you know me._ "At least he's fighting for all of us. Not just himself." Hermione answered storming as best as she could out the room. She ran into the Great Hall. She located Harry and Ron at the far end of the table having what looked like an argument will Ginny. She walked up as slowly as she could to Harry and sat down beside him. He looked down at her surprised. He had been halfway through speaking. _Oh goodness, what had she done?_  
  
She looked up at him, pleading silently for him to support her no questions asked. He didn't. He rose instantly, Ron following and walked out the hall. Hermione gaped at their backs. "Hermione?" Seamus asked curiously. "You alright? What happened between you guys?"  
  
Hermione looked bewildered. Her plate steaming of food suddenly made her feel sick. Harry and Ron hadn't stopped talking to her since... years. "They saw us." Ginny said from across the table. Her voice made its way to Hermione's mind dawdling. "With Draco." She whispered, her hand touching Hermione's arm, bringing her back to the Great Hall. _Oh no.  
_  
Hermione blinked away the tears. She swallowed the lump. Hermione Granger gathered herself together, smiling and nodding a goodbye to Ginny she walked calm and composedly out the Great Hall. There was no tear on her face on her face as she entered the common room. There was no sob from her heart as she passed Harry and Ron who did not even spare her a glance as she passed them.  
  
It was only when her room door was closed and her robes hung upon the peg that her face crumpled, her knees gave way, the tears fell, the body was beaten by sobs.  
  
Everything had been so perfect. Smiles and laughter like it would never end. And in two minutes was all it took to bring down the empire. Draco had... What she had done was right. She did not want to get into such a relationship with him at this time. He was a murderer. And he was too... untrustworthy. She had stopped it before it was too late.  
  
And it was not her fault that Harry and Ron had seen them. It was not her fault she had been with Draco. It was definitely not her fault that they rejected him. She had rejected him. Hermione pulled herself up, ignoring the tears making a waterfall of her face. She walked over to her window and threw it open. The cold night air teased her wet cheek and brushed her hair. The castle's wet stone gleamed under the white moonlight.  
  
She choked out a sob. She could see the warm air from her body disappearing into the inky blackness before her. Another sob escaped her. As they came out they became easier and easier.  
  
--  
  
Draco smashed the window with a loud crash. Shards of glass fell down the inside of the window reflecting his face back to him. He kicked one of his shoes lying at the end of his bed and smashed the shards into the far corners of the room. The unforgiving night air crept in. He picked up a book from his desk and hurled it across the room. It his it wardrobe with a crack as the spine went and thumped to the floor.  
  
His mutinous eyes turned to his father's seal on the desk. He hurled it out the window watching it be swallowed up by the dark. His anger quieted as more of the harsh air seeped into his clothing. The letter from his father still lay in singed embers where he had dropped it. Hermione's denial of him was torturing his mind and the more he reasoned that the anger he felt from it was irrational the more pain it caused. He had had half a mind to fly directly to her rooms and take her by force.  
  
But when he had arrived at his rooms his fathers Eagle owl had been waiting. The letter had read of Draco's failures and his shortcomings. Draco had skimmed the letter before burning it and sending the owl off carrying a piece of parchment blank except for the header 'Draco Markus Malfoy, Slytherin King'. An hour had passed in which he had smashed most of his possessions and burnt the Hogwarts: A History that his father had given him upon his acceptance.  
  
It was only an hour and a half since he had wrecked his room. As the years passed by it became a quicker and quicker job. Zabini knew this when he knocked at exactly the right time. He came in when no answer arrived. Draco was standing outside his bathroom by the broken window. He was looking at himself in the mirror. Some of his hair had come loose from its gel and hung in strands around his face. His face was whiter than white making the black of his pupils give a fearsome affect.  
  
Draco did not look when Zabini opened his door. He just moved from the window and flopped onto the bed. Zabini did not expect any conversation. He simply kicked shut the door behind him, walked to the window and took out his wand. "Accio seal." The stamp flew into his hand and he placed it down on the desk. "Reparo." He ordered the window. The glass flew from all corners of the room matching up into a jigsaw that would have taken a human a lifetime to complete.  
  
It took Zabini ten minutes to set the room to rights. By the time he had finished, Draco had got up and taken off his robes. Draco had not looked at Zabini since he had arrived. "Come in." Zabini called, though there was no knock. The door opened and a Slytherin 5th year girl came in. She stood awkwardly just inside the doorway. "Shut the door." Zabini ordered and turned to Draco who was standing by the wardrobe where he had just removed his jumper. Draco was inspecting the girl.  
  
She had thick dark brown hair that was tied neatly in a ponytail at the back. She had taken great care with her appearance; light touches of makeup around her eyes and lips. Her uniform was smart and correct; her jumper tucked up as to not reveal her shirt underneath, her school skirt level front and back, her knee high white socks pulled up. She was of ample proportions for one of her age. Draco nodded his approval.  
  
"She's hoping to become one of Lithliya's own sometime. She hasn't been accepted yet because she's too quiet and naive. The only reason she is in Slytherin is her bloodline. She has a brain and can use it and she's untouched." Zabini informed Draco quietly, but not quietly enough so that the girl could not hear. Her cheeks coloured. "It was her elder sister who was your floosie when you were a 5th year. The one whose now in the Ministry." Draco nodded again. Zabini smiled at the girl and closed the door quietly on the way out.  
  
--  
  
Well folkies. Sorry for all the time skipping, but I think it's necessary. I think there'll be a little more before we settle down again. Hope you enjoyed and if you did Review!


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Death of the Innocent

**Newbies**_ (Horsefly9, Way2Lazy, MythGalatea, Blah_ _Blah, DeLiRiOuS aka Captain obvious )_: H'fly thank you very much. Lazy My deepest apologises I will attempt to make it more boring. Myth I'm sick already. Hehehe exam people have to keep giving our entire year tissues in the middle of exams... that'll show 'em for giving us exams. BB sorry you feel that way. Captain my spelling is improving... honest. thank you very much.

**Oldies **_(Raine is Crazy, Bex Drake, Anatia, Haystack x2, Star19, ElvenRareHunter, Muggle Lover)_: Raine when you have stopped talking to yourself I have to tell you that apart from your name is accurate that also you have to give a little ground to Draco. This is a Harry/Lithliya chapter. Bex I'm very glad you liked it that much your comments were very helpful. Aniata Your mum is only looking out for the best. I'm glad you like my characters and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. Haystack you are fabulous darling. Ab fab. Thank you so much, am very pleased. Star thank you and good luck yourself. Holly I leave a lot of things to your own imagination. Sorry, hope you continue to like. ML it's up to your imagination. sorry about trickness and thank you very much.

**Oldies 2** _(Shadow, Mel62, Hotpinkflamingo, Niam, Hotaru, Magical Ferret, Irish Soda Bread)_ : Shady fainting is very important. I was worried about those convos though most people seemed to like them. Mel I always look forwards to your reviews. Very complimentary and I'm getting a very fat ego. Thank you for my fat ego. Flamingo I am very glad you liked it. very very glad. Good luck wiht your exams. Niam I am very sorry for the whole Neville business. I hope you join a support group too... Neville's Anonymous (NA). Hotaru thank you thank you and thank you. MF 1) better re read the chapter. All in there. 2) that you would have to read the convos making sure you know which one belongs to which. Marks might be cleared up in this one. Draco begging? I think not. SodaBread if you want to speak gangsta go ahead. I will not stop you just refer you to Ali G. Draco shows his true colours straight away in this chapter.

**AN:** Erm.... fantastic reviewer response. I love you guys. ::tears:: ..... no not really but was annoying sister earlier by making her guess how many i got.... 144.... aren't I dudey? Well now I've started writing the sequel. I want your opinion on the first bit of it. The link is in my bio if you wanna take a quick peek. I promise no spoilers for this story. It's just three paragraphs and notit won't spoilt this ones ending. I also want at the end of the story your favourite lines from the entire sotry... they always interesting.

**AN 1**: Hermione's reaction to Draco in the last chapter I did not explain well enough. I'm very sorry. She snapped. After so many times of being mistreated by him and putting up with him she'd finally had enough. Erm and Harry and Ron's reaction was due to Ginny. Ginny had probably told them that Hermione and Malfoy were dating in secret and had been for a while. What would you say if your best mate went off with a guy you hated? ........ read on!

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Death of the Innocent_  
  
_LARGEST DEATH TOLL IN ANY DAY OF THE WAR SO FAR  
  
He Who Must Not Be Named will today be cursing the name of all things good. At precisely Midnight on Friday night magical bombs were detonated in prime Death Eater bases. These bases include the Malfoy mansion, Lufborough Estate & Darlington Heath. There were also bombs set off in the US capital of Washington and New York where it is supposed there were Death Eater supplies. In the Middle East two magical bombs in Iran and Eygpt were detonated. It is not yet known who committed the attacks (Ministry or otherwise) or what the death count is. Experts estimate that at least forty Death Eaters died and a hundred other civilians.  
  
Magical Bombs were invented in the years after the war by magictist Friol Bean. Bean developed a way of combining the unforgivable curses and many simple disarming curses contained within a ball of magic. Known facts about the Magical Bombs are few and far between but it is thought that the attacks must have been organised by Ministry officials as only the Ministry are thought to have the Magical Bombs secret. There has been no comment from the Ministry so far today.  
  
For those innocents who died today we mourn. For all those that will live tomorrow because of the Death Eaters we must celebrate. The estimated forty Death Eaters dead will be a severe blow to He Who Must Not Be Named. It is unknown how many serve him, but this will be a crippling loss.  
  
_--  
  
_FUNERAL FOR 215 DEAD IN 1st DECEMBER ATTACK  
  
The funeral for the 215 innocent civilians killed on Friday 1st December has taken place today at Westminster Abbey. The newly elected Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, spoke of the 'great loss' and 'terrible human cost of war' in a quietly spoken speech in front of the friends and family of those who died. The Ministry have so far denied that it organised the attacks on 15 destinations (ten in England, two in America and three in the Middle East) that left 215 wizards and witches dead along with 57 now known Death Eaters. An investigation is underway.  
_  
--  
  
_OBITUARYS  
  
John Nott and Hamlet James  
  
John Nott, devoted son of the recently widowed Catherine Nott, died at St Mungos on Thursday 13th December. He had been moved with Hamlet Henry James to St Mungos from Hogwarts school, where he was attending as a 4th year student in Slytherin house. The boys seemed to have performed a spell that went so wrong causing them to slowly bleed to death. His father had died in the 1st December attacks less than two weeks ago. Mrs Nott was too grieved to comment.  
  
Hamlet Henry James, son of the ex-Ministry official Michael James and Harriet James, had been looking forward to a promising career as a Beater. He was already on the reserve list for the Hogwarts Slytherin team even though he was only a 4th year. His family described him as 'Quiet, reserved but with a good heart'. Rest in Peace Johnny and Hamlet.  
  
_--  
  
Blaise snorted and threw the paper back to Malfoy. It landed with a slap upon the table. Malfoy laughed and stretched back his arms yawning. "James was quiet alright but it had little to do with being reserved and more to do with the lack of brains to say anything." Zabini laughed. Lithliya who sat next to him checked the date on the paper.  
  
"Well it proves that blood magic works, Draco." Lithliya commented. "Though it would help to know when they first betrayed us so we could figure out how long it takes." Both boys looked at her with abstractly bored expressions. She rolled her eyes and nibbled at her toast.  
  
"Four days until Yule holidays. Have you decided to stay or go yet, Malfoy?" Zabini asked putting marmalade his toast. He flicked his black robes out of the jam. Lithliya flicked his arm as he elbowed her in his efforts.  
  
"I'm staying." Malfoy said finishing off his scrambled egg. "I could just stay to gloat over Potter when Ravenclaw beat them tomorrow. Or I could gloat over how ridiculous he'll look next Wednesday."  
  
"We'll all look stupid." Lithliya intercepted Blaise's dive for the new toast and helped herself. "The Muggles designed the clothing that way." She took a mouthful of the toast and winced. Grabbing her glass of orange juice she downed the entire glass in an instant. Blaise smirked at her. Lithliya smirked back, picked up his glass and splashed the water over his head. Malfoy laughed loudly.  
  
"What's happening next Wednesday anyway? Apart from being the last day of school." Blaise asked drying himself on one of the 3rd years books who happened to be sitting next to him.  
  
"It's the prefects shindig. Based on the Scarlet Pimpernel." Lithliya told Blaise winking at him. Draco smiled to himself. Blaise saw the smile and guessed Draco was thinking grand schemes of great evil involving him and Lithliya. He glowered at Malfoy who just smirked. "Stop scheming Draco for hell's sake. Last time you schemed 272 people died."  
  
Malfoy smirked in pride. Another batch of owls arrived at that moment stopping the entire Slytherin table basking in the glow of their victory. Draco's Eagle owl landed lightly on the table, taking the scraps of egg and bacon from his plate whilst Draco removed the letter. He broke the Ravenclaw seal and scanned the contents. After thirty seconds he tucked the letter into his robe pocket. The smile on his face had faded.  
  
It always did after he got that letter. Same Ravenclaw seal everyday. _And I bet I know what it's about_. Lithliya glanced over at the Gryffindor table. She wasn't there. Harry was though. She looked away hastily and gathered her books up for first lesson. Defence Against.  
  
--  
  
Hermione looked up at the clock. Nine o'clock. Lessons were about to start. She closed the thick book she had been reading. She gently slid across the thin chain that held it together and slid it back into place. The book **A History of Dark Wizards and their Magic blended** into the other books. The air in the Restricted Section was dark and dingy. It seemed to be waiting for death to happen here.  
  
The first time she had come to read here, Hermione had been scared. But after three weeks of being deserted by her two 'best' friends she had come to appreciate the blackened silence that she could just sink into and forget that another world existed out there for her to live in. Hermione had barely spoken to anyone in Gryffindor for the last two weeks. They all took Harry and Ron's side. Ginny had obviously told them she was dating Malfoy in an effort to help her. As time had passed and the original emotions had faded to black she had realised that they were right in their treatment of her. She had deserted them for Malfoy. She done things with Malfoy that... she had not the heart to even think of let alone talk of. She felt like a traitor.   
  
And yet she still could not bring herself to look at the white blonde hair and hate it. She was scared of it. Hermione Granger felt the world come to life when she looked at the eyes of her most hated enemy. Undoubtedly the murderer of nearly three hundred people, she had not fooled herself to believe he had not masterminded the entire operation. But she still remembered the way he had touched her, kissed her and it was not even just physical. His intelligence and laughter shown on that fateful day she had thrown him away.  
  
In her dreams Hermione Granger had been haunted by her parents. Sleeping alone in her cold white room, no one to stop the darkness from creeping in. It came in the form of old memories distorted by time and fear. Happy memories became satirical. Even the future was darkened by her dreams. Her unborn sibling's tears haunted her nights. She awoken every morning to find her eyes red and blotched.  
  
Hermione was too shamed in the morning to hold her head high for a good role model to younger students. The only meal she attended was dinner in which she sat by Ginny and her 6th year friends. Their conversations aggravated her more than Harry and Ron's Quidditch talks. She had been fortunate in recent days that extra Quidditch practice had kept her from the boys ignoring her in front of everyone. She visited the kitchen for a light lunch everyday, keeping a constant eye on Dobby and Winky. With the exception of schoolwork little had changed in the three weeks since her life had ended.  
  
Hermione clicked shut the little Iron Gate to the restricted section. Jess was already on the other side waiting for her. Jess was a 7th Year Ravenclaw who had been a distant friend of Hermione's for a while. They had taken Arithmancy together for the past two years. "Morning." Jess said smiling. Hermione nodded in recognition and they started out the library.  
  
They walked together chattering idly upon the Defence Against Dark Arts teacher's new hairstyle. Tonks, who had taken up the post was forever changing her look and it was now as normal to discuss her hair as it was the ever-changing weather. Together they reached the Hospital Wing. It was quiet, emptied in preparation for the Quidditch match tomorrow, except for the clicking of heals of Madame Pomfrey on the stone floor. "Morning." Madame Pomfrey said as she saw them. "Good to see you both again. Luna hasn't seen anyone since Wednesday. Mr Weasley has been doing extra Quidditch practice. And that fool of her father.. I mean Mr Lovegood. I know he's a respected Editor but... Really."  
  
"What has he done?" Hermione ventured peering into Luna's now permanent cubicle. Luna was lying on the bed staring into space. Madame Pomfrey clapped, Luna shot up looking about wildly. She relaxed when she saw them.  
  
"Wake up, Luna. You've got some guests." Madame Pomfrey announced sharply. She turned back to Hermione. "He won't let her be moved to St Mungos. Something about the Pestel Montree Infestation. I don't know. There is only so much I can do for the poor child." Madame Pomfrey walked off leaving behind a flurry of curtains. Luna's gaze on them was wobbly.  
  
"Hello Luna." Jess said in a honeyed voice. "Here I brought you something." Jess dug in her bag and brought out a chocolate frog. She held it out to Luna. Luna looked at it for a bit before taking it.  
  
Luna tried to bite the chocolate with the wrapper still on. Jess quickly removed it for her. Hermione sat in a chair by Luna's bed, Jess taking the one of the other side. They watched the girl eat the chocolate slowly seeming to enjoy it. "Here." Hermione added when she finished the chocolate. Hermione brought out of her own bag a parchment and an old quill. "You can draw thing with these." She placed them on the bed. Luna smiled at her and patted Hermione's shoulder, leaving her hand on Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"We'd better be going. Second lesson starts in ten minutes." Jess said quietly. Hermione nodded and blinked. Jess walked to the curtains and waved a goodbye to Luna. "I'll be seeing you later darling." She said smiling as warmly as she could.  
  
Hermione rested her hand on Luna's shoulder and patted. "Goodbye. For now." Hermione whispered. She turned to leave. Luna hadn't loosened her grip on Hermione's shoulder. In fact she'd tightened it. "Luna. I have to go." Hermione could not bear to turn back to the broken girl.  
  
Hermione felt her shoulder be shaken. She turned to face her fears. Luna was sitting, her hair hanging forwards, her head tilted. "They're coming back. They're coming back. For you. Hermione. They're coming back for you." Hermione felt her face drain of colour. She heard Madame Pomfrey's high heeled steps coming towards them. She heard Luna's voice rising. "They're coming for you! Hermione, no, Hermione."  
  
"Ms Granger you'd better go. Luna, Luna, calm down." Hermione stumbled back as Luna released her. Luna's gaze was unfocused. Hermione fell backwards over the chair she had previously sat on. She hurried to her feet and ran out the Hospital Wing. She ran right into tall boy who grasped her just as she was about to fall. She looked up. Ron's confused eyes stared down at her. She hiccuped a sob and righted herself.  
  
The door swung open, Jess coming out. She was carrying Hermione's bag as well as her own. She glared at Ron before putting an arm around Hermione and guiding her down the corridor. Ron remained watching them until they turned out of sight. Ron then passed into the Hospital Wing.  
  
--  
  
Harry came in just in time to avoid the dusk. He had been flying out for the last time before the Ravenclaw match, but the 1st years had come out for their lesson and he'd had to retreat back inside. He'd managed to get a quick look at the Gryffindors but none of them looked particularly promising. One girl had managed to do a little skill work and might turn out to be a good chaser but nothing spectacular. One boy might have made a seeker if he hadn't fallen off twice.  
  
Harry felt his scar twinge. He absently ran a hand through his hair. His scar had been burning a lot since... since the 1st December attacks. He hadn't slept for two nights afterwards. Voldemort had been incensed. On the face of things that was a positive but in reality his lack of sleep had affected his ability to see the snitch and his focus in class. He'd managed to snap at Ron and cause a rift between them, which he had regretted almost immediately after. Ron's constant obsession about Luna was getting to Harry.  
  
"Stressed?" Harry looked up sharply. The elegant blonde head girl stood in front of him. He felt the familiar rise of feeling towards her but quelled it immediately. She hadn't spoken to him except for head's business on the banquet and various other menial things. She hadn't properly looked at him since the Hogsmeade weekend. Malfoy must have talked to her.  
  
Malfoy was a problem. He'd always been a prat. A minor annoyance who never really did anything. But Harry would not be at all surprised if the 1st December attack had been organised by him. Two hundred civilians dead all for revenge. It made Harry sick to think of it. It was also a show of power. Malfoy was far more powerful than anyone had anticipated and far better at organising. Remus had said as much in his recent letter.  
  
"Sorry what?" Harry had suddenly realised that he had not only not answered the question but also not remembered it. Lithliya just smiled at him. He felt like he was a cute puppy to be adored. He shifted but did not want to leave; she'd only just started talking to him again.  
  
"Hermione." He looked up. She wanted to talk about Hermione? Why was it anyone he liked always wanted to talk about other people? He blinked. "Do you know she's stressed? No of course you didn't. You have been far to preoccupied with ignoring her over a petty thing to be worried about a her." Lithliya advanced on him. She looked angry. Harry unconsciously stepped back.  
  
"Well she's fine. She's always stressed. And she shouldn't have gone off and dated Malfoy and behind our backs. He's shown he's bloody evil enough." Harry threw in the last bit trying to gage a reaction from it. Lithliya's face portrayed nothing but anger.  
  
"But she normally eats three meals a day, no? And she normally doesn't cry herself to sleep at night? Wake up Harry. She's wasting away. Didn't Ron tell you?" Lithliya had backed him into a wall. Only then did he realise he'd been backing away from her.  
  
Harry tried to recall what Ron might have told him to do with Hermione. Lunchtime. Ron had said that Hermione had visited Luna, and Luna had gone into a screaming fit shouting about some people getting Hermione. "Well Luna's not speaking sense is she?" Lithliya snorted. "I'll talk to her okay. I guess I've been a prat."  
  
"Weasley style." Lithliya told him glowering. Harry nodded downcast. He had been intimidated by a fifteen year old girl, half his height. "She's got no one at the moment."  
  
"How did you know she cries herself to sleep at night?" Harry asked curiously, shifting his weight awkwardly. He wished he could speak about something else. Something which he wasn't guilty of.  
  
Lithliya didn't answer him. Instead she changed the subject. "It wasn't that big. The attack. Draco's revenge." She was gazing out the window to the 1st years colliding mid-air and Madame Hooch's screaming protestations. "The papers say fifty Death Eaters dead like it is a crippling amount for him to lose. Years ago, when he first came back it might have been. But now. More and more wizards and witches are joining him. Those that are too scared of what happened last time to wish to face it again. Draco was disappointed. Chance had it that there was a meeting that night so many of them left their posts with a few staying back to guard. Draco wanted them all dead."  
  
Harry scanned her face to see if she were telling the truth. She seemed to sense this and turned to look at him. Her face was blank, devoid of emotion, but the hairs on her arms were standing up. She looked like an angel. "Malfoy was wrong. 200 innocent people died." Harry spat out his reply. "THAT WAS HIS FAULT!"  
  
"There is no such thing as an innocent person Harry." Lithliya answered steadily.  
  
"HE KILLED THEM! AND YOU JUST LET HIM?"  
  
"I knew little about it. Draco and Zabini organised it all, like they did with Zabini's family. I would not have done anything even if I did know." Her cold unfeeling voice chilled him to the bone. Speaking of life and death as if they mattered little. It reminded Harry of Voldemort and he hated her for it. The vague outline of the scar from the Death Eaters attack on the Slytherin dormitories was still to be seen down the centre of her forehead.  
  
"Why? For you blessed Draco? Saviour of Slytherin? He'll get sent to Azkaban as soon as this war is over!" Harry shouted, his voice echoing back to him through the various corridors.  
  
"Yes, for Draco. For every war there must be casualties. What if Draco had managed to knock out a hundred and fifty Death Eaters? Wouldn't that be worth the loss? One hundred and fifty of the most powerful dark wizards in the world? All gone in one sweep? No, I would not betray Draco and I'd die even if I did." Her voice had risen, he had breached her walls.  
  
"Do you think I would just abandon you to him if you had told me? That I wouldn't help you?" Harry asked wildly unaware of everything but her. "And he didn't kill one hundred and fifty did he? Fifty. Just fifty!"  
  
"You could not save me from betrayal, whatever else you may save the world from Harry Potter. You remember Nott and James? They died because they betrayed Slytherin. Anyone who betrays Slytherin will bleed to death." She held up her palm where a faint line of a scar could be seen. Harry took her hand and looked closely at it. "See? Do you see?"  
  
Harry nodded numbly dropping the hand gently. He found his hand that had been holding her hand gently rubbing her shoulder in a reassuring gesture quite alien to him. She did not seem to have noticed so he hastily removed it. She looked up then. She smiled, a small and delicate smile that seemed to spell hope to Harry. She stepped closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her.  
  
Solace. It had seemed so much like a familiar gesture to him that it surprised him to think he had never done it before. Her head was resting on his collarbone, her nose just touching his skin through the fabric of his shirt. His arm was around her back holding her closely and his other hand was playing idly with her hair. He could not help himself but smile.  
  
He felt her warmth depart from his chest and looked down into two blue eyes. He felt the smile burn his lips. She was smiling back now and standing on tiptoe. He leant down eagerly. Too eagerly. Their noses bumped. Lithliya dissolved into a little laughter. He felt like a fool and was about to raise his head when she darted forward for a kill.  
  
With what little experience Harry had with kissing this was quite a feet. Usually the kisses were wet and uncoordinated. However, minus the bumpy start, the kiss was gentle and sweet. She tasted vaguely of honey and sweet things. She was also a little demon with her tongue. Harry found after sometime that they were playing cat and mouse with tongues, himself being the slow and ungainly cat, Lithliya the teasingly tortuous mouse.  
  
They broke apart after a while, both needing to catch breath. He was happy that she lay her head on his chest and wrapped his arms around her, encircling her with his cloak. Harry Potter could not get any happier. He knew it. It was James and Lily. Harry and Lithliya. He knew.  
  
--  
  
Oh dear. What comes up.... has to come down..... the end is near...... So review!


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Knight of Love

**Dedicated to IrishSodaBread, Mel62, Niam, and Haystack. My devoted reviewers from the beginning. **

**Newbies/ Tweenies**_ (regina-terrae_, _Brittanysr, GaladrielQOTGW, CiCi__ )_: CiCi I love it too. Why I put it in. Brittany sorry about the language. Regina she is manipulating people so she switches her attitude to manipulate said person. Galadriel thank you so much.

**Oldies**_ (Raine is Crazy, Magical Ferret, Shady, DeLiRiOuS aka CAPTAIN obvious, ElvenRareHunter, Muggle Lover, Bex Drake, SwurpleKitty, Haystack, Niam, Star 19, Mel62, MythGalatea, HotPinkFlamingo, IrishSodaBread, Lady Incognita)_: **Raine** yeah that is fine I just like to know cos its interesting to me. **Magical Ferret** hmmm.. we'll see. At the end of this chapter in fact what Luna meant. **Shady** I will do what I can. But you might well have to miss the end. Stop picking faults. I don't think that was a legit fault anyway. Sorry saw the film. Thanks. **Cap'n** Thank you very much and we'll have to see. **Holly** I do but sometimes they escape me still. Thank you**. ML** You'll get some in this chapter. Promise. **Bex** thank you very much your review was very helpful. **Swurps**, heya too, thank you very much. Men are stupid. Sorry to break it too you. **Haystack** I'll be good..... mwhahaha.... I mean... ::halo::..... Yeah.. I don't think you want to know what Luna meant. **Niam**, things can only get better. Harry and Ron do take your advice. Good on the NA front. **Star** Thank you very much lovely to hear your opinion. **Mel** you are always a pleasure. I think some things you might well pick up if you read through after you know the ending. Also I leave a couple of things up to your own mind with only a few hints. Draco is probably going to be a mystery even to me at the end of this story. **Myth** you are right that is not the best idea. Thank you very much. **Flamingo** I will attend your funeral then. No problem and thanks. **Irish Bready** If Harry said that to Lithliya she'd probably put the rest of her water on his head..... just a thought. I would have thought a chocolate frog card over a poloriad picture... just a thought. **Lady Incognita** thank you very much. And I will leave you hanging again.

**AN:** On the Sequel front there has been a minor setback. The writing of it will be postponed till post 23rd June I think. I'm having trouble with it but know the characters invovled. If I write it at all. I'm in doubt.

Are you scared yet? _Your blood will end this._

**Chapter Fifteen**

_Knight of Love_  
  
"Hermione?" Harry was waiting by the bottom of the steps from the girl's dormitories. Hermione looked at the floor as she reached the bottom. She spotted Ron sitting by the fire scowling.  
  
"I'm sorry, I was wrong, Draco's a bastard, please forgive me, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I was mad. Sorry." She kept looking at his black trainers. Suddenly his black trainers moved forwards and she felt him pick her up in a hug.  
  
"Of course I forgive you Hermione. I'm sorry I was such an arse. I should have talked to you rather than storming off." She hugged him tightly and felt little tears of relief falling onto his robe. She wiped her eyes with a spare hand that was not being used to hold herself up so she would not suffocate. Then she held him tighter.  
  
"I'm sorry Harry." She whispered again. Their embrace lasted for a few minutes. When the finally broke apart all the Gryffindors had already passed down to the Great Hall for breakfast before the match. "Come on. Otherwise you won't have enough food so you won't have enough carbohydrates in you to concentrate. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."  
  
Harry smiled. He didn't realise he'd missed Hermione so much. They walked down to the Great Hall together arm in arm and Hermione could not help smiling like it would never end. They were greeted with a little shouting and a little applause from the Gryffindor table when they arrived; the dream team were back together or so it seemed. Ron grudgingly was clapping a little and did not dismiss Hermione when they came to sit down together.  
  
Harry kept Hermione close when they ate. Harry and Ron, who was still keeping up a pretence of being annoyed, had talked late into the night about Hermione. Ron had heard from a Ginny that Hermione was thought to have been throwing up some nights ago as people had heard sounds from her room. Both of them had come to the conclusion that it was Malfoy who had somehow prayed on a weakness in Hermione and used it to his own end. If she were anorexic then it would undoubtedly be because Malfoy said she was fat.  
  
When it was time for the Quidditch teams to leave, Ron and Harry both satisfied that Hermione had eaten a satisfactory amount, left her under the charge of Ginny. Ginny had been talked to again a bit before Hermione as she had also had to cope with a public Howler from her mother on the dangers of Slytherins. The Slytherins had quite enjoyed it. But Ginny had been accepted back in on the sufferance that she kept a strict eye on Hermione.  
  
Hermione rose with Ginny, following the trudging mass of red and blue down to the Quidditch pitch. The Slytherins were naturally against Gryffindor but jeered at both teams for good measure. Hermione sat in a gaggle of girls with Ginny. Ginny had attended so few practices Harry had temporarily replaced her until Luna was well again. There was an ear-piercing scream when Harry was announced. The Gryffindor team streamed out into the winter's sunshine. The air was moist with potent rain and the players breath could be seen from a while away. After only being outside for two minutes Harry was seen to blow on his hand to warm them up.  
  
The Ravenclaw team took slightly longer to come out. One of their beaters had problems with their uniform until it was discovered that the seeker and beater had accidentally switched. "So much for Ravenclaw intellect." Ron muttered. Harry and Ron had come to talk whilst they waited for the opposing team to arrive. Ron was shaking vigorously.  
  
"Nervous?" A 5th year friend of Ginny's asked. Ron gave her an odd look before replying.  
  
"No, it's bloody cold." Hermione sniggered. Ron shot her a glare and she shut up hastily. That set Ginny off along with quite a few of her friends.  
  
"Come here." Hermione placed her hand on Ron's blue ones. She waved her wand in a strict pattern muttering. Ron's face instantly flushed as she let go. Harry flew over a little closer looking hopeful. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly if you boys paid attention in Charms you might know this." Both boys pointed out that if she knew they had absolutely no reason to. Hermione did not bother replying and instead performed the charm on Harry. By this time the entire Gryffindor team had flown over and were putting on the best puppy dog faces that teenage boys and girls could do with their features frozen to their faces.  
  
When eventually the Ravenclaw team appeared they were all shaking violently and turning blue within the first five minutes. They seemed irate that the Gryffindors were acting like it was a boiling hot day, Ron, by the goals, was even fanning himself with his hand. The game started.  
  
To be truthful Ravenclaw never stood a chance. Their seeker once caught a Quaffle by accident and their beater managed to knock one of their own chasers out. As Hermione put it 'It was the Hufflepuff team on a bad day'. The explanation they gave was that they were so cold their aim was off. The game ended when Harry took mercy and caught the snitch that was hovering by the opposing seeker's head. Final score 320-20.  
  
The Gryffindor celebrations that night, although involving no alcohol, were grand and the best Hermione had ever experienced. She slept in Harry's room that night with Harry on her left and Ron snoring on her right. _By the Gods she was happy again with only that remaining dull ache telling her she was missing something._  
  
--  
  
"MERRY YULE!" The hustle and bustle of students packing their clothing was resounding throughout the entire castle. The train left early the next morning so many students were putting away the last of their belongs into the suitcases that remained hidden for most of the year. For the prefects this was a side issue. The Banquet took over rational thought.  
  
The younger year prefects had disappeared hours ago. Harry, Ron and Hermione were gathered round the fire on the sofas ignoring the fact they had to get dressed for the evening's activities. Harry was silently eager. Ron was silently bored. Hermione was silently panicking. She wasn't ready to face Draco yet. She was not sure she was strong enough to say no again. He was a person you couldn't say no to... twice.   
  
With only an hour until the evening officially began and the darkness laying a thick blanket over the surrounding world the three could no longer deny the night ahead. "Come on." Harry pulled Hermione off the couch and kissed her gently on the head before pushing her off to the dormitories. He turned to face Ron, whose encounter with the couch left him with his eyebrow hair sticking up. Ron looked confused. "What?" Harry asked confused.  
  
"Do you like Hermione?" Ron asked suspiciously. Harry raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah." Harry said wondering where this was going but thinking he already knew.  
  
"Do you like like her?"  
  
"Do you mean do I fancy her?"  
  
"Fancy her, think she's fit, think she's fine, like her more than friends?" Ron supplied coming closer to Harry who looked blankly.  
  
"No. I like Hermione as a friend. Besides, I already have a..." He smiled a boyish smile at Ron who nodded understandingly at Harry with an equally boyish smile.  
  
"Whose Harry got then?" Ron jeered walking up the staircase to their rooms. They were both getting ready in Harry's room.  
  
"Lithliya. Well I haven't asked her out but you know." Harry smiled and pushed open his door. He glanced at Ron. Ron was smiling and nodding.  
  
"Ginny said she's alright. Best Slytherin there is." Ron said. Harry let out a sigh of relief. Their clothes were on the bed. Both grimaced and avoided each other's gaze. Ron because his were his shabby old ones. Harry because his were his horrendous new ones.  
  
--  
  
Hermione smiled. Her hair hung in a soft halo round her head, curls falling down framing her face. A small chain hung around her neck with her birthstone framed hanging just above her dress. Her dress was more romantic than she remembered it, and it fit her like a dream.  
  
Hermione pulled herself out her dream and examined her real self. Her hair did not hang like a halo. It wasn't that bad. She had pulled it back into a bun because she couldn't do anything else to it. A few small bits of hair hung around her face. Colour had returned to her cheeks just in time for the banquet; it was a shame she reasoned. She was pink of face colouring and the red of her birthstone hanging round her neck didn't help. A freckle or two marred her pale skin.  
  
"Get use to it. This is you. You are not perfect. You are not pretty. But you are Hermione Adiadne Granger. And you are worth anything you believe you are." With that she held her head up high and walked out her room, down the spiral stairs, her dress brushing the corridor on either side. At the bottom of the stairs her date fidgeted awkwardly, his hands coming out and in of his pockets. He looked up at her and a small smile graced her lips. "Come on, Ron. We don't want to be late."  
  
--  
  
"Hi." Harry met Lithliya outside the Slytherin dungeons. Waiting outside their he'd had lots of Slytherins coming out to stare at him. Luckily Lithliya came quickly. Crabbe had just come out the common room and he was looking particularly murderous. Goyle was just behind. Harry swallowed and looked over his date. She looked drop dead gorgeous.  
  
"Don't stand there gawking." She took his arm and half dragged him down half the length of the corridor in the space of a second. She glanced back over her shoulder. Her hair was loose around her shoulders. She looked like an angel. "Come on. It's a bloody good thing you're wearing a mask and hat otherwise they might have recognised you." She yanked him again.  
  
"You didn't tell Malfoy you were going with me?" Harry questioned. Lithliya snorted and yanked him again. When they were twenty foot from the Great Hall Lithliya finally relaxed and allowed Harry to walk her at a graceful pace to the Hall. They arrived to a scene of beauty. The hall was in shades of purple. The round table at the far end of the hall upon the stage, where the teachers normally had the high table, was covered in a lilac. Deep purples reflected through the black of the ebbing night that surrounded the walls of the hall. It was like it was night but will a purple light lighting up an area.  
  
"I think we're wearing the wrong colour." Lithliya confided in him laughing quietly. Hannah Abbot and some of the Hufflepuffs were already at the table. They were early. Music played softly. Harry felt Lithliya sway to it. He spun her and she almost fell. She scowled at him and he once again felt like a prat.  
  
Hermione and Ron arrived just as the Ravenclaws poured into the hall as a group. The 5th years, the youngest year present, were skipping about the hall investigating the dark corners. Harry was keeping a watchful eye on them. Harry and Lithliya walked forwards gracefully to meet the new couple. "Good evening." Harry bowed courteously. Hermione was having a hard time keeping a straight face at them. Lithliya had also caught the infection of the giggles and both boys made a hasty exit talking about Quidditch and leaving the girls to laugh at the boys and each other.  
  
Harry and Ron walked carefully round the dark corners together already catching a couple snogging in a bush. "And the Slytherins haven't even arrived yet." Ron added as they watched the bashful couple disappear back to the main body of people. The music was getting louder. Harry and Ron came across the source rather unexpectedly. A Muggle band of classical musical instruments were playing with no players in the back corner.  
  
Draco Malfoy entered the Great Hall, Pansy and Dethcous either side of him. He looked drop dead gorgeous. Blonde hair pulled into a messy ponytail, silver rings adorning two fingers, cold dead eyes. A figure of unfeeling power. He looked like the prince who came to steal the princess. Rather daring and fun until he stole Your princess.  
  
They strolled up the hall talking amongst themselves. Pansy was desperately trying to get Draco's attention. Halfway down he pushed her into a 6th year Hufflepuff's arms. Amazingly she stayed there. The Hufflepuff looked alarmed but realising this was his fate he escorted her up to the table where all were converging.  
  
Harry and Lithliya sat at the head of the table. Ron put Hermione in the seat one along from Lithliya and made to sit next to Lithliya himself. Draco had different ideas. He smoothly sat down in between Lithliya and Hermione. "Oi, Malfoy. I am sitting there." He interrupted. All conversation in the hall ceased and all faces turned to the red and blonde hair.  
  
"I don't see your name on it." Malfoy pointed out lethargically. Harry was looking concerned, Lithliya unconcerned, Hermione resigned to be insane.  
  
"Well your name isn't on it either. Now get out of my seat." Ron was turning red. Everyone else was sitting down quietly and glancing at each other worriedly. Both boys had hands near their wands...  
  
"I think you'll find that says 'Draco Malfoy'. And I do believe that is my name." Malfoy held up a nametag that had been resting on the table. Ron saw his on the other side of Hermione. With no ground to stand on he stormed off and took his seat, as soon as he sat down engaging Hermione in a Malfoy bitching session. Malfoy spent the first minute talking to Lithliya in something that sounded like Latin.  
  
"I didn't know you spoke Latin." Harry said to Lithliya just as the food arrived. Rich roast dinner smells flavoured their nostrils and some uncouth people (Ron) cheered.  
  
"It's a useful skill." Lithliya said popping two crispy patatoes onto her plate. Harry contemplated this. He couldn't see how a language that had been dead for 2000 years could be useful to anyone but shrugged it off in favour of eating lots.  
  
When all were full to bursting the first couple rose to start dancing. It was an overeager pair of Ravenclaws who couldn't dance for knuts. Harry was cautious about dancing. Lithliya seemed to share his opinion so they contented themselves sitting in their high backed chairs presiding over the others. Ron and Hermione had grudgingly got up to dance after realising that not all four of them could sit doing nothing... Hermione was pointedly ignoring Draco's whirling around the dancefloor with every girl there.  
  
They danced awkwardly and where immensely grateful that the song was only a short one. They both broke apart and made their way back to the stage. Hermione felt a hand on her wrist. She jerked around a sick feeling in her stomach. She turned round. Malfoy was there smiling at her. Smiling his real smile. She shivered. "You weren't thinking of sitting back down again without dancing with little old Draco were you now, Hermione?" His voice was like silken poison.  
  
"Let go of me." Draco shot a glance over her shoulder, smirking at Ron. He then pulled her to him and began to move to the opening bars of the new song. She tried to wrench back once but he was too strong. "Draco!" She trod on his foot. He kicked her legs out from underneath her in return and held her up until she could find them again.  
  
"Behave little one." He was smiling down at her. She was not looking up at him to see it. "Come on now. I'm not that bad."  
  
"You're a murderer!" She whispered furiously at him, forgetting her vow to not look at him. She felt even more venerable when she did. _Was he always that tall?  
_  
"Every man is a murderer, Hermione. I am just a good one." He brushed some of her hair away lightly. With the weakened hold on her she tried to pull away but the other arm was like a wall. He was just amused by her efforts. "I killed so that less will die tomorrow."  
  
"You killed because you wanted revenge."  
  
"For your parents." Draco finished and heard her hiccup. _Anything but tears_. He cupped her chin and drew out that sensitive Draco. "Come on, Hermione. You know you are special to me. And you know what I have to do. I'm just sorry you have to be a part of it." He stroked his thumb down her lip and his breath tickled her hair. She wanted to stay. She wanted to run. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to never look back.  
  
"Why do you have to do it? Why can't you just leave it?" Hermione asked, trying to not cry. She cried far too much. Draco looked amused by this suggestion.  
  
"There is no where to hide in the wizarding world Hermione. There is no escape except in death." She had stopped resisting so much and they danced through the silence between songs picking up again when a new song started. They had no noticed everyone's eyes on them. They had not noticed Lithliya holding Harry and Ron back. They had no noticed Lithliya and Harry's argument.  
  
"Then die. Let Draco Malfoy die. Make a new life in the Muggle world." w_ith me.  
_  
Draco smiled. That definitely would be an end to Draco living in the Muggle world. "And leave everything and everyone you know and love?" He had known what she had meant. _Damn him_. She looked down and looked away. She did not try to pull back. He let her go and stepped back himself. "No." He spoke as a man; honest and with humanity. _Don't be ridiculous Hermione. The Malfoy genes eradicated Humanity centuries ago.  
_  
--  
  
"You're on his side!" Ron accused loudly. The rest of the Hall's audience were now avidly split between the heads and Ron and the deputy heads.  
  
"No I think they need to talk." Lithliya answered smoothly.  
  
"Talk about what? You saw what he did to her!" Harry answered just as smoothly. He was getting the hang of this arguing with Lithliya thing.  
  
"He did to her? There is only one thing he has done to her and that only contributed half to what you boys did to her." Lithliya answered her eyes flashing.  
  
"What did we do to her?" Ron answered still shouting.  
  
"Ignored her! She needed her two best friends most and they ignored her! What do you really think set her into depression? Draco, or lack of help?" Lithliya answered now slightly irate. The argument paused as the entire hall watched Hermione storm out. Draco was standing dead pan in the centre of the dancefloor.  
  
"Now look what he's done!" Ron shouted. Lithliya glowered at him before turning on her heal and storming out afterwards, gathering up her skirts as she ran. Harry and Ron turned back to each other both contemplating how much worse the evening could have gone. All objectives failed and an upset Lithliya to boot.  
  
"You stay here and keep an eye on the 5th years. I'll go after her." Harry said darting off, taking his mask off as he went. He looked up just in time to see Draco slipping out the door ahead of him. Harry doubled his speed but everyone was lost to him in the cloak of night.  
  
--  
  
Draco heard a girl ahead. She was storming up and down through various branches, tearing fabric and hysterics running amuck. He slowed down and took his breath. He knew Potter wasn't far behind and that he would find Lithliya and she would be safe, though not unmolested, with him. He knew this was Hermione by the fact she was muttering to herself, something too cute for Lithliya to bother with. He took himself to listen to a bit of it.  
  
"I can't believe you fell for a guy. Not that you were going for a girl but a guy at 17 years old. Your too young to be feeling like that Hermione. And you've never been one to go out with dangerous 'bad boy' types either. I don't know what you were thinking. You picked the worst of the worst. You could never marry the guy." _Wow, did she ever breathe?_ "You definitely could never raise a family with him. And he'd never ever tell you he loved you."  
  
_Ahh, point of entry!_ "Good thing too, Hermione. Wouldn't want me to get soft now would you." He moved out the shadows to where the moonlight had highlighted a little clearing. The Forbidden Forest looked rather tame in the moonlight. Hermione looked up at him as if she expected him to be there. _Well she was beginning to get to know him then_. "I don't believe in love." Draco told her walking up to her. He stopped two feet away, back towards the castle, facing her dead on.  
  
"Don't you?"  
  
"No. I believe in lust." He eyed her up and down and she blushed. "And I believe in respect. But love, my darling, is a fool's game of trickery and strife." She looked sad. She looked... Draco smiled. He didn't know how she looked but whatever it was he liked it. Rather roughed up, rather dreary, rather wild. Her dress looked better with tears at the bottom. "And I think I believe in people. Certain people who you know, who you can depend on. Who have their uses."  
  
She remained silent so he continued. "Blaise. He has connections over the world. All the girls love him and most of the boys. He's a natural charmer. Endless uses." He stepped forwards to her, taking her chin in his hand. "And you, beloved, have intelligence. Strength, even when it comes to me. And beauty. You're not beautiful, but you have a beauty that I shall never ever forget." He was inches away from her face, whispering now, the smirk still present on his pale moonlit face.  
  
She was shaking with cold and emotions. There was a shriek on the night air. Neither looked up. "And I tell you tonight, Hermione, that if I ever married, I would marry you. Because you have never looked more beautiful then you do at this moment." She was crying now. Little tears fell on his hand. And he smiled. And he kissed her. A beautiful kiss in the moonlight that lasted forever.  
  
Malfoy drew back. He never once looked back at her. When he spoke his voice was a monotone. "Hello, Lucius."  
  
--


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Grey Nothingness

**Thank you everyone who has read and reviewed this Story. I will try to write a sequel. So **(minus epilogue)**this is the end.**

**I would like to thank: Redaura, Shadow,** **Thatonechick**, The Lord of the Pencil, Noxia, BritannySr, **IrishSodaBread**, **Raine is Crazy**, **Mel62**, **Anaita**, Practikal Magik, Niphredil Brandybuck, **Star19**, **WildChartermage**, haftmassa, **Haystack**, Sarkney101, **SwurpleKitty**, someonelse, Lilyflower-Hp, **cniamc(Niam)**, way2lazy, **ElvenRareHunter**, **ForsetSong**, **Bex Drake**, Amanda, **HotPinkFlamingo, **MagicRules, Hotaru420, **MagicalFerret**, flu, Spike the Dragon, CiCi, **Muggle Lover**, **Lady Incognita**, EvilFairy27, Drex, Miercon (no problem), Horsefly91, **Myth Galatea**, DeLiRiOuS aka CAPTAIN obvious, GaladrielQOTGW, regina-terrae, D e a n n a 8 6.

**AN:** Right. Thank you again to everyone above. Hope you all enjoy the ending. And remember if you have any quotes that you like or stick to mind from this story please tell me.

_The Last Chapter...... Did you really think I'd let them all live?_

**Chapter Sixteen**

_Grey Nothingness_  
  
Lithliya squatted on the grass. She ignored the fact that her dress was designed to allow no slouching and heard a satisfactory snap. She had been searching for ages and not seen hide nor hair of Hermione. If she was right then Draco would be with her and she'd be fine... well as fine as anyone can be with Draco. She heard footsteps and panting. Harry appeared from the darkness.  
  
"Have you seen Hermione?" He asked panting. She eyed him with disdain.  
  
"No." She answered shortly and looked out to the darkened forest. She saw a black shape and jumped up immediately, reaching for her wand. "Something moved." She told Harry who had looked up when she jumped. Lithliya let out a shriek. A large snake was slithering towards them through the grass. Harry let out a series of hisses and the snake backed off, still hissing. Harry had now come forward so he was level with her.  
  
"You're scared of snakes?" He asked, still scanning for anyone else in the forest. The snake was waiting.  
  
"Well at least I'm not scared of spiders. Snakes can actually eat you." Harry gave her a withering look letting her know that her hardcore reputation was gone with him.  
  
"You're actually worried about that at a time like this?" Lithliya asked scanning the black line of trees.  
  
"I'm English." Harry returned. A black figure was appearing from the dark. Lithliya reached for her wand again. Her hand grasped empty air. She looked at the floor and dipped down, ignoring the dress again _(crack),_ her hands running through the strands for her wand. "You not got your wand?" He asked mildly panicked by this. He spoke with his eyes still on the advancing figure who was now level with the snake.  
  
"Harry Potter." The rasping voice hissed. Lithliya stopped fumbling about in the grass and stood bolt upright. Or she would have had her head not come into direct contact with Harry's elbow. Harry dropped his wand and Lithliya sat dazedly on the grass. Harry picked it up again hastily as the raspy voice laughed. Harry had an awful feeling he knew the voice.  
  
"Run." He whispered to Lithliya who was just dazedly getting up. She shook her head; whether to clear it or say 'no' he didn't know. Either way she didn't do as he ordered. "Lithliya go! You don't even have a wand!" Harry spoke louder now. Lithliya was standing in front of him looking stoically at the figure who was just removing his hood.  
  
Voldemort stood there in all his glory. Harry felt a surge in his scar and fought down the temptation to puke. "Harry Potter. And there she is; Dremae. Another one of the line." He chuckled dryly.  
  
"You won't kill Harry Potter on Hogwarts ground." Lithliya said boldly. Harry was now trying to comprehend everything that was going on. It was quite a challenge.  
  
"No. I didn't come here to kill Harry Potter." Voldemort returned a sick smile on his face at the thought. "I came to see my Goddaughter." Harry swore his heart stopped beating. All he could do was look at Lithliya and then at Voldemort. "Now her mother's dead, she's all my responsibility." Lithliya was frozen to the ground. "But now that I'm here killing Harry Potter seems like a good idea. Thank you for leading him to me, My darlingGoddaughter."  
  
"You will not kill Harry Potter today." Lithliya stepped backwards towards Harry. Harry was still only hearing the 'goddaughter' parts of the conversation. "I won't let you."  
  
"What would you father say if he saw you now?" Voldemort advanced a step, the snake diving forwards. Lithliya stayed where she was. "What would you brothers say? So disappointed in you. And your sister. So proud that you made head girl. And now you stand her defying their Dark Lord?"  
  
"I am not my father." Lithliya spoke calmly even though the snake was coming closer to her feet. "And there is only one Dark Lord. You are not he." Voldemort's face contorted.  
  
"Crucio" Lithliya let out a yell of pain before falling to the floor, crying and howling. Harry snapped to and pointed his wand at Voldemort.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled through the night air. Voldemort deflected it and in doing so had to release Lithliya. "Stupefy!!" Harry chucked spell after spell, enough time for Lithliya to get away. She wasn't getting away. She was on the floor immobile.  
  
"Mr Potter are you really getting anywhere?" Voldemort asked as they broke whilst Harry caught his breath. Harry glared and stole a glance at Lithliya. She showed signs of stirring. "You might well die tonight. But if you don't I'm not going away without one of you dead." Harry swallowed and fixed his gaze on Voldemort. "You do know she's such a pretty thing. I might just take her home with me so Nagini can have her midnight snack. Stupefy."  
  
Harry was off guard. He deflected that spell but not the one after. He was flung back. His last thoughts before blackness blinded him were dramatically along the lines of shit.  
  
--  
  
Lithliya pulled herself up as she saw Harry fly past her. She dived onto him, smacking his face to no response. "I'm sorry." She whispered before taking his wand and standing up, immediately deflecting a spell. The snake, free of the other parsel tongue was slithering towards her, hissing. She tried to ignore it. "Crucio!"  
  
The battle raged, both people either deflecting or avoiding each others shots. As Lithliya cast her third unforgivable she felt a thing creep around her leg. She did not look down. She kept casting. The thing rose up wrapping itself around her leg, passing under her clothing. It kept rising until it reached her neck. If Harry did not come to now they were both dead.  
  
"Ennervate!" She spun on her heel and pointed at Harry. His eyes flickered open just as Lithliya's body came flying into his. She had been his with one of Voldemort's spells. The snake around her necks slithered off. By the time Harry looked up Voldemort had disappeared, his laughter all that was left.  
  
--  
  
Lucius Malfoy moved out from the shelter of the trees. He was sneering at his son. Lucius had longer hair and he was still taller than his son. Draco's sneer matched his father's. Hermione shrunk back. "You were always weak Draco. But I never knew you were this weak. Falling in love with a Mudblood? You're an insult to your blood."  
  
Draco laughed. "At least I do not serve a Mudblood." Lucius straightened up and laughed.  
  
"You son serve only yourself. You will be killed for you disobedience. After all Lord Voldemort did for you. After all I have done for you. And you betray me now. This ends tonight."  
  
"Oh indeed it does father." Draco moved forward his wand in his hand. "Your death to wipe the stain of your existence." Hermione whimpered in the background.  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" Two similar voices rang out. Both people duck and trees were scorched. Hermione ducked her head out of instinct although neither spell was near her.  
  
"Draco you have become weak. Like Dumbledore." A curse flew across the clearing. "Caring for people. People are only there to be used. Like that Mudblood. She's a good target practice."  
  
"You are naive to believe that, father." Draco said. Another curse flew. Hermione had lost sight of the two fighters. It was like the Spanish civil war; a bad side against an even worse side. "If she's sensible she'll stay where she is and stay quiet." Hermione gripped her wand so tightly her knuckles were white.  
  
"Oh really. Avada Kedavra!" A jet of green light shot out the trees aimed at Hermione. Two things saved her. His aim was bad through the moonlight and years of being round a hot tempered Weasley her reactions were quite fast... several hot tempered Weasleys.  
  
Hermione scrambled up to her feet and back away into the darkness. Her pulse was thumping in her ears. She turned to run. "Stupefy." Was all she heard before a _quiet white came over her.  
_  
_The white receded and patches of grey then black faded in_. Eventually black outlines of trees and voices arguing entered her mind again. She blinked and moaned. "You killed her to silence her?"  
  
"What is this? Does Draco care?" _Mocking. Malfoy_. Hermione shook her head and sat up. Draco was standing over her, looking out into what seemed like an empty clearing. Lucius was evidently somewhere out there. "Speaking of caring shall we see how much you really do care for that thing." Lucius Malfoy came out into the clearing. Hermione tried to stand, wobbling and grasping her wand. Draco had advanced forwards, murder in his eyes.  
  
Hermione stumbled a couple of paces after him. He did not turn round to look at her. He had not looked at her since he had told her... "Stop it. There's not point-"  
  
"Avada Kedarva!" Two similar voices once again shouted out. A scream accompanied them this time.  
  
--  
  
The officials arrived at the scene the dawn was just breaking over the distant rolling green hilltops. They found the three figures not very far into the forbidden forest a small clearing of small trees letting a patch of light in. Two of the bodies were recorded and levitated off. The third was wrapped in blankets and taken to meet her friends whom sat having cocoa on the Quidditch pitch.  
  
Hermione Granger cried too much. But this was even out of reach of crying. She sat their shivering at the cold, huddled in between Harry and Ron. All sat in a comfortable silence waiting quietly. People came and talked to them. Asked them to describe what happened. Ron had little to say. Harry told his story in a quiet voice not leaving anything out that could be important. Hermione shrugged when questioned and just leant further on Harry and Ron. They left her alone eventually.  
  
It wasn't that hard to figure out what had happened. Two Malfoys dead and one shaken girl. Madame Pomfrey took them up to the hospital wing when eight o'clock came and went. Hermione shared a bed with Ron and they both remained awake in silence that was only interrupted by Ron's stomach. Harry disappeared to see Lithliya. Ron went awhile later to see Luna who had been asking for him and seemed far more alert than ever before. Hermione just sat on her bed.  
  
_Silence._  
  
--


	17. Epilogue

**Epilogue**  
  
_**MASSACRE IN SCOTLAND**  
  
Yesterday, 21st December, at four pm there was an attack upon a Death Eater meeting in Scotland. An estimated 100 students from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry all from Slytherin house invaded an inner circle meeting. Of those students a lucky 39 managed to survive with only minor injuries to report. The remainder is presumed dead. The Death Eaters are thought to have suffered a high loss of high up members leaving behind 17 dead.  
  
A frightened student who took part in the attack described it as 'revenge of our hero' and before he was ushered off reported that 'the attack was led by (Blaise) Zabini. He was mad. We think he loved Malfoy. He swings that way. But Zabini was great, he charged right in and he managed to kill at least six Death Eaters before he got to Him. Then Zabini charged right at him.'  
  
It is presumed that Blaise Zabini was taking revenge for the attack upon his family which left them all dead as well as the attack on Hogwarts which left both elder and younger Malfoy dead. Blaise Zabini joins the 39 students who will be buried before 25th December. Zabini joins the endless list of people who have been killed by You-Know-Who. A list that keeps growing.  
  
-  
  
--  
  
-_  
  
_**HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED DESTROYED!**  
  
Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, yesterday killed Voldemort in a battle to the death. The one on one single combat took place in Trafalgar Square with as many as three hundred and fifty Muggles, Witches and wizards killed in the side battle of Death Eaters vs Aurors. Harry Potter is now recovering in St Mungos with friends and family around him. You-Know-Who's body will be cremated next week in a public ceremony.  
  
Celebrations will take place around the globe and have already started in many cities. It is expected that the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, will make a speech announcing the victory later today. It is expected the Mr Potter should receive an Order of Merlin, First class and some say even a knighthood. It is also expected that today, 10th June, will become a national holiday._

_It is hoped this will be the final retribution for a war that is estimated to have ended 3million lives in the UK alone. World Wide the estimates that one in hundred people have been killed in this terrible war._   
  
--  
  
_**HARRY POTTER AWARDED ORDER OF MERLIN**  
  
Harry Potter, the boy who defeated You-Know-Who, was yesterday awarded Order of Merlin, First class. The 17year old boy was smiling and waving as he received this prestigious award from his old Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. His friend Ronald Weasley who was also present at the battle was given an Order of Merlin, Second Class and despite his injury was still smiling merrily. Harry Potter's girlfriend, Lithliya Dremae, who was attacked just before Yule by He Who Must Not Be Named himself recovered enough to be able to fight in the final battle as well. She received an Order of Merlin, Third Class.  
  
When asked, by special reporter, Rita Skeeter, what Harry's future plans were, he nervously said "Auror. I have already been accepted into the Ministry's program." His friend Ronald Weasley, 17 also plans to take this career. As for his future plans with his girlfriend? "No comment." This reporter saw them kissing passionately just after the ceremony finished, so safe to say Harry Potter is truly happy._  
  
--  
  
_**BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, DEATHS  
  
BIRTH:** Nicodemus Neoptolemus Malfoy  
  
**Born to**: Draco Malfoy (deceased) and Hermione Adiadne Granger  
  
Hermione Granger, friend of the legendary Harry Potter, Order of Merlin, first class gave birth to a baby boy on Harry Potter's very own birthday, the anniversary of the end of the first war. His name 'Nicodemus' means 'conqueror of people' and was apparently associated with the child's father who died at the hands of one of the Death Eaters. 'Neoptolemus' was the son of the legendary Greek warrior Achilles. He also took part in the Trojan war; well famed for his arrogance and daring. Harry Potter, who was present with Ron Weasley at the birth, chose the middle name. The baby was born prematurely.  
  
_-  
  
--  
  
-  
  
_**BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, DEATHS**  
  
**MARRIAGE**: Ronald Weasley & Luna Lovegood  
  
Famous faces turned out in scores for this wedding with a true romance story to it. The best man Harry Potter was not a bright enough star to turn the heads away from the stunningly happy couple (except perhaps in his speech with the mentioning of a gay kiss). The Maid of Honour Ginny Weasley was happy to disobey family loyalty and warned the bride severely of what she was marrying into. A speech from Hermione Granger and Mr Lovegood completed the evening, which was full of merry faces and dancing. Best of luck to the newly weds and Lithliya Dremae, long time girlfriend of Harry Potter, who caught the bouquet._  
  
--  
  
In the world between sleeping and awake I can see you. Sometimes you are smiling at me with that real smile you hid so well. You and me are in the Muggle world. You learning how to use a toaster, me trying to explain electricity again to you. And you crashing the car into a brick wall and then discovering you have to have a license.  
  
Sometimes its you watching me as I work. Pointing out my faults in that loud sneering voice of yours. Then me getting so mad that I storm off and your laughter echoes after me.  
  
Sometimes I think of the night we made love. I do not know if they are dreams or remembering. They might well be too sweet and too romantic to be anything but dreams. Your hands on my body. Your skin up against mine. Your hot breath tickling my neck as you plant kisses all over me. Your teasing. Your words of sweet sarcasm.  
  
I know whatever happened that night caused my life to fall apart. Or perhaps it was before that. I know you made my life change. My parents and my friends were my life. And for that short intoxicating bit of time you were my life. And now he is. Little Nico. Your memory lives on through him. I can see it in his eyes. There is a startling lack of Granger DNA in his body. His eyes, his features are all you. By human genetics it's impossible, but wizardry I'm not so sure.  
  
Ron suggested I should strangle him. Inflicting the world with another Malfoy. They both were great about Nico. They were shocked but under the circumstances. Lithliya told me you wanted me to still be friends with them. I don't know whether I believe her or not. The reminder of you being a little demon is just starting to walk about.  
  
I sometimes dream that you're here with us. In our little house, in our little street. Out in the garden where that little apple tree grows. You build him a swing so he can play. You pick an apple high up that he can't reach for him. And as he grows older you only become more proud of him. Because he becomes more like you every day and you are an egotistical bastard.  
  
Sometimes you're in one of your castles. We live in a big mansion stretching over acre after acre. You've brought Nico his own horse and we're all going riding as a family. You canter off, showing off on your tall black stallion. Little Nico tries to follow you but he can't and he falls off. And I tell you and you get all sarky. And then it's Christmas. And I come downstairs in the morning all moody because Nico kept us up all night about Santa, which you keep complaining is a stupid idea. And then we come into the room with the Christmas tree, another stupid Muggle idea, and there's lots of presents. And your sitting there being all horrible and smug and superior and I don't think I can love you any more.  
  
When little Nico gets his letter into Hogwarts and your tired and moody and you tell him he'd better get in Slytherin, and if he takes after his mother he'll be sent off to Potter's never to return. And then I scold you and me and Nico run off to Harry's to have a party for Nico. When we return you've disappeared and I get really worried until you come back two days later as if nothing had happened.  
  
Then I remember of your last night. And those are the most precious time of all. The way you looked with you hair in a little ponytail tied with black ribbon. And the way you spoke, so quietly and so gently to me. I just replay your words in my mind until they lose all meaning. The way we danced in front of everyone. The way you wouldn't let me go. The way I thought I hated you. The way you held me so gently and the way your moods flicked.  
  
And the way you said your final words to me. And the way you looked at me one last time. I think you knew you were going to die. I don't know if you knew about Nico. I didn't tell anybody. But you always knew everything. Your face in the early morning dawn that you never lived to see. Your eyes not seeing me. The way I talked to you for hours. The way I felt I had lost everything. I never knew. They say love is blind. I guess its true in a way.  
  
I looked in a mirror that morning. In the Hospital Wing. To see if I really did look beautiful. You prat. You knew I looked awful. I had a twig in my hair for Merlin's sake.  
  
And then Nico cries. And I wake from the world in between worlds. And that is when I realise that I hardly knew you at all.  
  
--  
  
_fini_


End file.
